A Remnant's Love
by forgiven4ever
Summary: He knows it's wrong, and against every fiber of his being and Jenova, but he can't resist this human who makes him feel things he never thought were important. Yazfie, YazYuff. R&R please and thankies to all my reviewers, it's because of you I keep going
1. Chapter 1

Forgiven4ever, typing on the computer: Okay, now, formatting story...

::Yazoo & Yuffie burst in::

Yazoo&Yuffie: STOP!

Forgiven4ever: Too late. Now my fellow readers, prepare for a story of love, passion, romance, and a murder most foul.

Bone Jangles(Corpse's Bride): Hey, sweet thang! That there's my line!

Yazoo, Yuffie, & forgiven4ever: -eye twitch-

::Bone Jangles does his tap dance and Jack Sparrow barges in and shoots him::

Jack: I hated that thing. 4ever! Look what I got!-shows a jar of dirt and sings-I got a jar of dirt! I got a jar of dirt! And guess what's inside it!

Yazoo: Uh...dirt?

Davy Jones: DAMN YOU, JACK SPARRRRRRRROW!!!

Jack: I gotta go.-runs off-

forgiven4ever: Whatever. Okay. My first fic between Yaz and Yuff here, so be nice, since there's oh so few of them.

::Jack runs past them with the jar of dirt, abruptly stopping::

Jack: forgiven4ever does not own FFVII, or AC, or the hot sexy me-ducks a blow from 4ever-but she owns the plot, and it's PostAC, so don't get dizzy when you read.-turns and sees Jones' creatures coming after him- Bye!

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_**The Pursuit**_

She panted as she clutched her sides and dashed through the forest. The young girl of sixteen with a bob of ebony hair, frightened eyes that looked as though they reflected the stormy clouds above her. Her creamy colored skin was now nicked with scratches as she pried through the snags of thorns. Her small but fitted frame was clothed with a green top which came down to her navel and was wearing white short shorts. In this stormy weather and in this thick forest, surely they would miss a small young woman. Oh, how wrong she was.

"There's the bitch!" one of the thugs scowled, hacking his way through the limbs that forbade him to go deeper. The small knife glinted and the young woman gulped knowing what ill fate befell her after he had his way with her. She continued to scamper over the rotting dead trees and the snagging limbs that tried to trip her.

"Where?" the other shouted, more off to the left, getting sidetracked and began wandering around the woods. He fell behind. He could not find his partner and he was kind of light in the head. "Come on, man! Where are you!? You said I could have at her first!"

The first thug licked his lips as he approached the fallen woman, lying flat on her stomach. She was nicely formed, not too curvy, and long legs. He flipped the young girl over expecting to see her frightened face, not the exact opposite. For some damn silly reason, she was smirking at him. It was suppose to be the other way round. No matter, he was going to have his share of fun one way or another.

Suddenly, he felt himself gagging from something clogging his throat. It rushed up into his mouth and his senses alarmed when he tasted something warm and sticky. The thrug grunted as he looked down at his stomach and saw the small, but effective shruiken, lodged into him. His red liquid trickled down the weapon and stained the young woman's hand. The man groaned and blood leaked past his thin lips as the woman pushed him aside and yanked her weapon out of him.

"No one,..." she breathed, seething. "No one, messes with the Great Ninja Yuffie, bastard." She watched her assailant croak uneathly noises in his throat and sighed as his eyes glazed over. She was about to turn when a strong arm grabbed her roughly by her tiny waist and held a small knife against her long neck.

"Oh, really, ninja?" her other attacker sneered in her ear. His hot breath made Yuffie struggle in protest, the knife just nicking her under her fine jawline. "The more you squirm, the more fun it is," the thug chuckled and threw her to the soft damp earth at the base of a tree.

Yuffie whimpered as she backed up against the tree. She could not believe the shit she was in now. It all started with her walking around Golden Saucer. She had 'picked up' a few moneybags, a materia here and there, a potion, a ribbon, and it had to be the damn Maiden's Kiss that got her in trouble. The two men chased her out of the Golden Saucer and into the wilderness past Barret's old town that started Avalanche many moons ago. It was also Marlene's hometown. Now, she was about to have her virginity ripped from her.

Just as the man was undoing his pant buckle, a shot rang out and a white bullet shot clean through the assailant's chest. The man gasped and swayed, hoping to maintain his balance, but more shots rang out, ripping through the man's body. The thug gasped and collapsed on top of Yuffie who screamed and stuggled underneath his weight. She could hear twigs snapping as the other man approached her. She winced and wimpered as the body was lifted off her and she had a chance to look upon her savior.

He was a man of nineteen, lean, tall, with a mystifying face and bright green orbs which reminded Yuffie of her cats as his slit pupils dilated as his eyes latched upon her. His long silver hair spilled over his shoulders, contrasting against the black leather jacket he was wearing which was zipped up all the way up to his throat and the jacket did not part until at the knees. He looked a lot like Sephiroth, but he did not have his gravity-defying bangs or the murderous look in his eye or the taut jawline. Yuffie knew it was one of the Remnants of Sephiroth Cloud had destroyed six months ago.

_But why the hell was he here?_ Yuffie bitterly thought._ And why the hell is he coming nearer?!?!?_

This was true. The Remnant had approached her and knelt down beside her. Yuffie shifted away, but the Remnant caught her wrist and pulled her closer to him with no emotion written upon his face, but the Princess of Wutai knew that he was studying her face, trying to place her somewhere.

"You were in Big Brother's group," he almost whispered cooly. He then grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Yuffie screamed as the Remnant carried her through the forest. "Put me down, you ungrateful son of a bitch!"

"No," the Remnant answered cooly as before.

"Where the hell are you taking me?"

"Can't tell."

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**(A/N)**I know I'm wicked, and evil and all that shit. I hate cliffies too, but I can't help it when it's 4 in the frickin' morning and I have loads, and loads of schoolwork to do. I'm screwed on Thursday. Remember to review and flame, but remember flames will be used to scorch the bugs invading my room, reviews get a nice cup of Starbucks coffee or hot cocoa. Anywho, Yazoo? Yuffie?

Yuffie, jaw agape: You nearly had me _raped!?!?!?_

forgiven4ever: But some cool evil dude came and saved you from a fate worse than death.

Yuffie: Not cool! I'm now at the hands of Yazoo. Wait a minute...-yanks Yazoo down to her level- You try anything fishy, sissy boy, and I'll perm that f—ing hair of yours!

Yazoo: Why couldn't you have written a Yuffentine fic?

forgiven4ever: Too many of them. I will later though!

Yuffie: Yay!


	2. Chapter 2

Forgiven4ever, popping knuckles: I hate school, I hate life, and my only solace is in cyberspace. Man, what a lame life.

Yazoo: Then go outside once in awhile.

Forgiven4ever: Are you shitting me?!?! It's 48 frickin' degrees out there, I'm writing five stories at the same f-ing time, and my dad's hounding me to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas.

::Linus & Lucy theme song starts playing and the Charlie Brown cast starts dancing in a circle around forgiven4ever::

Forgiven4ever: Why me!?!?!?-starts crying-

Yuffie: Do I even want to know????

Yazoo: No. Oh, by the way, lawyers? Readers? Friends? And others...This is a simple girl's fantasy and you have no right to crush it. She doesn't own anything mentioned here, but she does own the plot.

Yuffie, dancing with Snoopy: -humming the Linus & Lucy song-

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_**For Reasons Unknown**_

Yuffie shifted her weight a little on the Remnant's shoulders. She didn't know his name but she _knew,_ just _knew _that he was a part of Kadaj's gang. She remember glimpses of him during the group's fight with Sin-Bahamut. Reno had informed her later that he was slick, chuckled one too many times, and was a deadly martial artist as well as a shooter. Yuffie watched the Remnant's gun swung back and forth from his lower back. Yuffie sighed loudly and prodded the man carrying her over his shoulder with her index finger.

"Hey, you," she murmured. "Are we there yet?"

"Silence," the man quipped with a bit annoyance in his tone.

Yuffie propped her cheek against her fist. "Sheesh, it was just a question. Hey, you got anything to eat?"

"No," the Remnant sighed.

"Man, I am starving," Yuffie complained. Her stomach growled on cue. "Come on. Don't you have like anything? A piece of bread, _something?_"

"No," the Remnant repeated.

"Can you say _anything else_ besides 'silence', 'no', 'can't tell', and 'you were in Big Brother's group'?"

"..."

"Ugggghh," Yuffie moaned and let herself drop and smack into the Remnant's back. She felt his body flinch at the contact. "And I thought talking to Vinnie was bad." She felt her body shiver slightly as the Remnant's shoulder shook when he chuckled. "What's so damn funny!?" Yuffie demanded.

"You," the Remnant simply answered.

"Finally!" Yuffie proclaimed. "The thing speaks!" She felt her sides being squeezed and her diaphragm burned with pain. "Ow!"

"I thought I told you to be quiet," the Remnant growled softly.

"Geez, man, get a grip," Yuffie mumbled and her petty remark was tossed back with another squeeze to her sides. "OW! Stop that!"

Yuffie peered around the young man's side and noticed a clearing up ahead and a run-down shack. Disturbing images ran through the young ninja's mind and she struggled even more. This Remnant responded only by tightening his grip on her. Yuffie started wimpering and then beat her fists upon her captor's back.

"No! No!" she screamed. "Dammit, I'm too young, you motherf-----ing prick!"

"What?" her once savior, now kidnapper or possible worse questioned, stopping in his tracks and leaned his head slightly to the left as if he was in deep thought.

"Don't! Please, don't!" she pleaded. "Please!"

The Remnant sighed and shifted Yuffie over his shoulder. "We're almost there. Pipe down."

Yuffie winced and closed her eyes. It just had to be her to be chased out of the Golden Saucer into the hands of someone who was _supposed to be dead!_ Yuffie swore under her breath and growled as she heard the Remnant's footfalls echoed and creaked on the planks of the rotting wood and then she heard the moaning of the rusty hinges, upset that they were disturbed once again. Yuffie began to pray that this was a dream and that she would wake up from this hellish nightmare. Her heart beated faster when she felt the Remnant turn around and closed the door. She winced once again when she heard the door bolt lock in its place. She was dead now, for sure.

"Kadaj?" the Remnant called softly. Yuffie's eyes popped opened. Kadaj was alive too???? "Loz? I'm back."

_Oh, shit, oh, shit!_ Yuffie thought frantically as the third member of the Kadaj Remnant Let's-Go-Find-Mother group contined to walk to the other side of the shack.

"What is it, Yazoo?" Kadaj's voice drawled. Yuffie heard his footsteps echo when he approached. Kadaj's silence only frightened Yuffie even more. Yuffie then felt herself being slung off Yazoo's shoulder and landed hard on her rear. She glared up at her captors and found herself scooting away a bit as the two young men talked.

"This better be important, Yazoo," Kadaj snapped. "Why did you bring a complete stranger here?" At this, Kadaj chuckled. "Really, I didn't think _you_ of all Yazoo would be interested in—"

"She's part of Big Brother's group," Yazoo managed to cut in before his younger brother could suggest such a thing. "The ninja, I believe. She had a shruiken on her person."

"Oh," Kadaj's lips formed into a sneer, looking past his brother and down at the ninja who back up against a wall. He approached her, brushing past Yazoo, Kadaj loved hearing her whimper as he came closer.

Loz then burst in, panting. "Kadaj! Big Brother's at Golden Saucer!" he announced before he noticed Yuffie hunched in a corner and grinned evilly.

"Good," Kadaj murmured softly. "The closer he is, the faster we can reach him." Kadaj then chuckled and stepped closer to Yuffie before reaching down and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Pretty little thing, aren't you?" he commented, his thumb stroking her chin. "How old are you? Thirteen?"

Yuffie smacked away the leader's hold on her chin. "I happen to be sixteen, you f—ing son of a bitch!" she spat bitterly, Kadaj only laughed in response.

"Oh, she knows how to swear too," he said, tossing his head back, his silver curtain of shoulder length hair fell away from his face, showing his glowing mako eyes fully and it made Yuffie cringe seeing these eyes glower at her, knowing that he was the victor. "Now," Kadaj continued casually, "what's a girl from Big Brother's group doing out here?"

"None of your damn business!" Yuffie snarled, trying to put on a braver front, but it fled from her when Kadaj's response smacked her hard across the face. Yuffie hissed from the stinging on her cheek, and she dared to turned her back to this man who was supposed to be dead. She panted from shock and hurt and kept a scowl on her pretty face.

Kadaj smirked as he slightly bent toward her. "I'll ask again, girl," he sneered. "What are you doing here?" When Yuffie didn't answer, Kadaj raised his hand once to strike. Yuffie braced herself for the impact.

"She was chased here," Yazoo spoke up. His eyes cast down when everyone in the room looked at him. Kadaj whipped his head to his brother and his lips curled in a disgusted sneer. Yazoo continued. "Two men were making advances towards her."

Kadaj spun back around to face Yuffie, smacking her across the face again. Yuffie fell to the floor from the force. She propped herself back up with her hands, panting. Yuffie let out a yelp as Kadaj grabbed her short hair and slammed her against the wall. The hand clenching her hair jerked abruptly down, making Yuffie look into Kadaj's fierce eyes.

"She has a voice, Yazoo," Kadaj snapped, still glowering at the young ninja. "I advise you to keep your mouth shut." Kadaj yanked his hand hold Yuffie's hair downward, making her cry out in pain. "Well?"

"You have ears, don't you?" Yuffie mocked him, gritting her teeth. "You heard what he said!" Kadaj whipped out Souba and poised it at her pale jawline. Its sharp edge nicked her neck and a bead of blood formed and smeared at her neck. "Ack!" she yelped.

"I asked _you_, girl," Kadaj snarled, shifting Souba until it was directly under her chin. "And if I were you, I'd control that tongue."

Yuffie gulped and her anger rose and flash before her stormy grey eyes. "I...was...chased...here," she repeated slowly and clearly and then rambled on. "Believe me, I wouldn't have come here if I knew you freaks were here!"

Kadaj smirked again, an evil murderous glare brightened his eyes. "Wrong answer." He raised Souba and Yuffie let out a squeak and winced and cower, bracing herself for that final strike.

"Kadaj, wait," Yazoo's cool voice interrupted. Kadaj stopped and then whipped around to face his brother, carelessly slinging Souba around with him. It sung when it sliced through the air, shying Yuffie's left cheek by mere inches. Yuffie could hear Kadaj walking over to Yazoo in bold strides. "She could be useful to us," Yazoo quipped in a soft tone before Kadaj was standing right before him. Yazoo was still taller than Kadaj, but it was Kadaj's boldness and leadership that made him superior to him.

"How?" Kadaj sneered, daring his brother. "Show me how."

Yazoo licked his bottom lip before continuing. "We all want revenge on Big Brother," he reminded the others. "We have his friend in our grasp and you would know, Kadaj, what Brother would go through to save his friends..."

Yuffie bit back a groan. _I knew I shouldn't have pissed Cloud off._

Kadaj paused for a moment and gracefully slid his Souba back in its sheath."You better be right," he muttered. Kadaj then swung back around and his fist smacked into Yazoo's jaw. Yazoo was blown off his feet by the force of the impact and then Kadaj kicked him hard in the stomach. Yazoo winced, but refused to let out a cry; he would not cry. Kadaj then bent down, glowering at Yazoo. "Don't question my authority again, Yazoo." He straightened and walked over to Loz, who was shifting uncomfortably at the sight of Yazoo on the floor, pushing himself up by his hands.

Yuffie almost felt sorry for Yazoo. Almost. He was still her captor and her enemy. But still, his sad eyes, and his long silver hair shone as he picked himself up, his hair spilling over his shoulders. Yazoo lightly touched his jaw and flexed it as Kadaj lectured Loz. His green mako eyes shifted over to Yuffie and stared at her. Yuffie tore her gaze from him, bringing her legs up against her chest, and rubbed the small gash on her cheek.

"Loz," Kadaj's authoritive voice shattered the silence, "go to town and buy some supplies." He shot a look at Loz and then fingered Souba again. "I'll go see if this ninja brought any more intruders." Kadaj then sneered at Yazoo. "And, Yazoo, since you're so concern for the girl, you may stay, and do what you please." With a laugh, Kadaj left with Loz, leaving Yazoo with Yuffie.

Yazoo sighed and approached Yuffie. The ninja squiremed and struggled to get up as Yazoo made his way over to her. When he towered over her, he reached down and grabbed her slim arm. He pulled her up and with a cry, she collided into Yazoo's chest, sobbing. Yazoo felt odd with this girl crying on his chest and he pulled her away, not knowing how to comfort her. He took ahold of her chin and inspected the gash. "Let's clean that up," he suggested in a whispered. Yuffie only gulped and slowly nodded her head. As Yazoo led Yuffie to the sink, he didn't know why he sympathized the captive. She seemed so young and innocent and very fiery. Yazoo never did really like it when Kadaj's victims of beatings were young women. He just didn't think it to be right for some reason. He handed the girl the cloth and watched her dab the gash gingerly.

Yuffie looked up and saw his green mako eyes looking at her. "What?" she snapped, Yazoo only blinked and shrugged. She continued to dab her gash. "Soooo...," she mumbled after a long time. "You're Yazoo, right? The one who shoots a gun and chuckles too many times?"

Yazoo seemed slightly amused. "And you're the youngest of Big Brother's group. The ninja?"

Yuffie beamed with pride. "Not just any ninja; I am the Great Ninja Yuffie, White Rose Princess of Wutai!"

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**(A/N) **Yeah, yeah, you're lucky I went to a reunion on Sunday and was so bored that I came up with this chap. Yeah, I made Kadaj's demeanor more evil. Hint: I got this from a certain character who is _not_ of Final Fantasy and Kadaj did the same action as he did in final espisode of his show. Can you guess who it is? Hehehehe. Okay, Starbucks coffees and cocoas to Yazoo IS Superior, pangpond, Vampyric Ninja, and CaeliaDanan with huge marshmallows and whip cream! Flames and reviews are welcome, but remember that flames will be used to burn Yazoo's hair.

Yazoo: Hey!

Forgiven4ever: Oh, hey. What did you two think?

Yuffie: Okay, I just blurted out my name.

Yazoo: That's because your brain automatically responds to anything said, Yuffie.-smack!-Owwww.

Yuffie: Shut up. 4ever...when's the next chap????

Forgiven4ever: Oh, anxious?-smack!-OW! Oh, yeah, for those who keep on sending me private flames, remember, this is a POSTAC fic, and I actually seen the f—ing movie, so I know what I'm doing! Btw, I'd really appreciate it if you leave God out of your flames, remember, you're flaming me, not Him.


	3. Chapter 3

Forgiven4ever: Whoa.

Yuffie: What's up?

Yazoo: Yeah, what's going on? Why are you posting so soon, 4ever?

Forgiven4ever: Because, people are wanting another chap, soooo, here we are. I didn't think you two would be so popular.

Yuffie: Yeah, there's more stories of me and Kadaj. By the way, when are you updating that Marriage story and One Freaky Guest?-fingers Conformer-You've been neglecting those two for far too long.

Forgiven4ever: Yeah, yeah, I'm getting to them soon. Why don't you make yourself useful and shove that Conformer up some flamer's ass.

Yazoo, fingering Velvet Nightmare: We haven't been flamed, have we?

Forgiven4ever: No, it was my other story. My other Yuffie love story.

Yuffie: Grrrrrrr...I'll save my outbursts for the other story. Let's get on with this! forgiven4ever does _not_ own AC, owns the plot, this is POSTAC, and there will be _NO_ lemons in this fic, and future flamers, DO NOT BASH 4EVER'S RELIGION. Thank you. Have a nice day.

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_**Nightmare**_

"Why!?" Yuffie shouted, sounding more like a whine than an outburst. She was sitting on the floor, her arms were above her head now since her wrists were being tied by dirty rags. Yazoo had taken her to a corner in the kitchen where a thin pipe had shot up from the floor and ran up to the ceiling and then ran along the crowning of the wall and then shot back down to the sink where the faucet stood, groaning and squeaking.

"Well, this is to keep you from running off," Yazoo explained in a soft whisper. "Because, if you do, Kadaj will not hesitate to run you through with Souba."

Yuffie gulped. "Why did you save me back there?" she queried softly and Yazoo's green eyes looked into her stormy grey ones. She then realized how close he was to her by smelling the scent of leather and of him. Yuffie almost lost herself in his eyes for they looked sad and longing, but there was a hint of mischief hidden in his eyes, begging to be seen. His forlorn face left Yuffie feeling pity for him. _Does he ever really smile?_ she wondered innocently as Yazoo opened his mouth to speak.

"I don't think men should hurt women like that," he murmured. "It troubles me." He finished tying the knot and stood before Yuffie, towering over her. "Ironic, isn't it? That I could kill men without any remorse, but I cannot bear to see a woman suffer? Kadaj calls me weak."

"Well, I sure as hell don't think so," Yuffie quipped suddenly. Yazoo looked down at her, his eyes widened a little from her statement. "Not that...my opinion matters, but just because you don't want to be a brute, doesn't mean you're weak. Besides, girls like it better when they know that chivalry isn't dead!"

Yazoo let out a low chuckle. "The girl has a sense of humor," he murmured to himself. He turned around and began to walk into the other room. "And what does chivalry mean to you?" he called to her. He then came back to the kitchen with a small leather bag and set it on the small table. Yazoo whipped out his long silver gun, twirling it and weighed it in his hands gently. He then set it gently on the table and sat himself down. He unzipped the black bag and pulled out a rag and a few instruments unknown to Yuffie and began to clean his gun. Yuffie bit her lip as Yazoo gingerly cleaned his gun with fluid movements.

"Well?" he asked, not looking up from cleaning his gun.

Yuffie blinked. "What? Oh! Um..." Yuffie bit her lip. "Well, for one, it's...um, kindness towards others."

"True," Yazoo agreed, slightly nodding his head. "But is that all it means?"

"Oh, you mean like my ideal knight, who bears courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak?" Yuffie recited, grinning ear to ear.

Yazoo paused for a brief moment, still holding Velvet Nightmare in his hands. He looked down at the young ninja. "That is where I fall out of the category, little one," he murmured. "Courage, justice and a little bit of courtesy I might have, but I do not help the weak and I have no honor."

"Everyone has to honor to _something_," Yuffie remarked with a scoff. "How does one lose his honor?"

_Her naïvete is overwhelming,_ Yazoo thought, smirking to himself. _What does she know?_

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" the captive shouted, stomping her foot to grasp his attention. She then whistled to him which failed also. "Hello???" she called. "Hey, Silver! I asked you a question!"

"And I chose not to answer it," Yazoo cooly remarked, inspecting Velvet Nightmare carefully before putting the tools for cleaning into the bag and stood up, picking up his gun as he did and sheathed it into its holster upon his back in one smooth movement. Yazoo then put away the bag and returned to the kitchen. Yuffie was complaining to him the whole time and he had paid no notice to her.

"...and then I had to get caught at the Golden Saucer. If I hadn't gotten into that argument with Cloud and Vincent...Gawd, all I wanted was to have a little fun! Now, I'm stuck in some godforsaken woods with three silver haired dudes who are supposed to be dead!" Yuffie then let out a huge sigh and then shifted uncomfortably. The ninja winced, looking up at Yazoo who stood at the doorway. There was a hint of fear in her eyes. "Hey," she murmured after a while. "You don't think they'll..." she left her sentence cold and shamely looked down.

"What?" Yazoo questioned.

"Take advantage of me. They will, won't they?" Yuffie queried softly, her stormy grey eyes welling up with tears that threatened to spill over.

Yazoo bit his lip. His brothers probably would do such a heinous act; they've done it before. Yazoo never had his way with pleasurable company unlike Kadaj and Loz for he always felt that it was wrong, unclean, and he would feel guilty about it and he had enough guilt as it was. The Remnant tasted the metallic tang in his mouth and realized that he bit his lip too hard. He only bowed his head and walked back into the other room as Yuffie bit back a sob.

Yuffie struggled with the rags tied around her wrists. She did not want it to be this way. This had to be some nightmare. Yuffie pinched herself, she wasn't back in bed at the Golden Saucer Inn. She whimpered when Yazoo strolled back in, informing her that Kadaj was back. Yuffie only muttered some curses for Kadaj. Yazoo's response was unexpected as he went to the sink, dampened a rag and turned to Yuffie.

"Are you thirsty?" he inquired softly, looking down at her. When she nodded slightly, he went over to her, with the damp cloth still in his hand and knelt in front of her. Yazoo then took the cloth and gagged her with it. "Suck on this," he whispered and turned around just to see Kadaj standing in the doorway, sheathing Souba.

"Well, well, brother," Kadaj smirked. "Are we enjoying our company?"

"Nothing happened, Kadaj," Yazoo bitterly returned, standing up. He walked over to the sink once more and grabbed a tin kettle that was resting so innocently on the small counterspace and began to fill it water. Kadaj leaned casually against the countertop, watching his brother's every move and smirked.

"So, our little Yazoo has finally become a man, has he?" Kadaj sneered and peered down at Yuffie with a smirk. She struggled a bit, trying to scoot as far away as possible from Kadaj. "Had she been gagged the whole time?" he asked coldly.

"I told you, Kadaj," Yazoo murmured, shutting off the faucet and faced his younger brother, "nothing happened, but yes, she has been gagged the whole time. I did not wish to hear her whining."

Kadaj only held up his hands in his defense. "I understand," he said, "...that you don't want to talk about it." Before he could protest, Kadaj clapped his hand on Yazoo's shoulder and leaned close to his brother's ear. "But understand this; if your plan fails...well, let's just say your little pixie won't go to the Lifestream alone." With a low chuckle, Kadaj whipped around to Yuffie with a smirk on his face. "A pity if that should happen to her. She's not exactly a bad catch, Yazoo."

"As I said before, Kadaj," Yazoo began, but was cut off when Kadaj whipped around and smacked Yazoo's cheekbone. His silver hair fanned out and covered his face. Yazoo let out a hiss and gently touched the welt under his right eye. Yazoo slowly faced Kadaj, his face showing no emotion other than a grimace.

"I heard you, Yazoo," Kadaj snapped, "but I say otherwise and, quite frankly, I don't give a damn what you think." Kadaj then circled around back to Yuffie. "As for you, pixie, you may have captured my brother's eyes, but just because he is my brother, does not mean I share his opinions." He took Yuffie's chin roughly and forced her to look up at him. "You'll wish you're dead in a few days, pixie."

Yuffie flinched as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. _What am I? Some sort of sex toy to him??_

Kadaj then traced her jawline gently with his gloved finger. He then tuck a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear and rested his hand against her cheek. Yuffie scowled and then Kadaj slapped her across the face. A red mark was the only evidence of his brutality and Yuffie bit her lip until blood ran. Kadaj only scoffed and turned on his heel, leaving Yazoo and Yuffie alone.

When the door slammed, Yazoo sighed and went back to tending the kettle, though he treated it more roughly as he prepared the coffee. Yuffie spoke no words. The only thing that broke the eerie silence was the bubbling of the kettle as it boiled its contents.

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**(A/N)** AAAAGGGHHHH!!!! Cruel, evil writer's block! Accept my apologies from Ritsu. Ritsu?

Ritsu, frantically screaming and running around: _I'M SORRY!!!!! I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ALIVE!!! FORGIVE ME!!!! AAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!!_

forgiven4ever: Thanks so much for reading, and to answer ya'll about Kadaj's manner; I stole Akito's personality! That's right! Fruits Basket rox my socks. Yeah, he's really...a girl in the manga, but he's a guy in the episodes...I think...Well, anywho, Akito's personality and Kadaj's are almost the same, so I stole episode 26's scene when Akito grabs Tohru's hair. So, guys?

Yazoo: Why am I getting beaten up all the time by Kadaj?

Yuffie: Cuz you're a wimp!-plays Havest Moon on 4ever's DS-Grow, you damn taters!

Yazoo, Ritsu, & forgiven4ever:-blink-

forgiven4ever: Now, plushies, cookies, and pizza to all my readers and reviewers get double! Ritsu, you want to say something?

Ritsu: Please review or flame this story, but remember, flames will be used to..._AAAAAGGGGHHHH!!! I MESSED UP!!! I DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!!!!_

forgiven4ever: Flames will be used to burn flamers' favorite manga. So, think of our precious manga, boyos!


	4. Chapter 4

::forgiven4ever shuffles shamely over::

forgiven4ever: Hi, guys, sorry it's taken me so long to update.

Yuffie: Yeah, what took you so long? We thought we were abandoned for a moment there.

Yazoo: What happen, 4ever?

forgiven4ever: Got grounded from my laptop for a whole frickin' week, but I was permitted to write and you won't believe how much junk I wrote for my stories. I even came up with a new story because I was so bored!

Yuffie: Coolness, what about us?

forgiven4ever: Two chaps.

Yazoo: Yahoo.

forgiven4ever: I'll post the other chap in two days hopefully.

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_**Attempts**_

Shifting her position, Yuffie tried to get comfortable by sitting cross-legged and tilted her head back, hitting the pipe behind her with a dull clang. Sharp, keen eyes spotted a small knife for cutting rope, victuals, and shanking someone. Yuffie grunted, trying to pick herself up without making much noise. Her prize's handle was just peeking over the edge of the counter, and it was just an inch shy from her mouth. Cursing, Yuffie strained herself to get the handle of the knife but to no avail. She stuck her tongue out and attempted to curl her tongue around it and slide it towards her another inch. Closer it slid across the counter with a soft scraping noise, Yuffie prayed that her captors in the other room did not hear it. When she confirmed that they didn't, she bit down on the handle and pulled it off the counter.

In the other room, the three silver haired young men were sitting around the small coffee table. The other room was large than the kitchen to be sure, but the only furniture in this room contained only a small couch, a small armchair, and a small coffee table where files and scraps of paper covered its surface. At one side of the room, near the door where three bundles of blankets for the three to sleep on when the time came. Kadaj was adorned in the armchair, whilst Yazoo and Loz where sitting on the small couch. They were sipping coffee and rummaging through various papers that held information of the ShinRa Company's floor plans. They were trying to locate the Black Materia once more, and they had probable cause that Mother was waiting for them there. Then again, ShinRa would try anything to make sure _no one_ could get their hands on it.

"Brother won't come if he doesn't know that his little pixie is here," Kadaj sneered, his eyes darting towards the kitchen. Yazoo felt his stomach lurch. Kadaj was definitely thinking up ways of hurting Yuffie in more ways than one. Yazoo gingerly sipped his coffee to drown these thoughts, but it was useless for when he looked up, Kadaj's demeanor would make Yazoo uneasy again.

"Yazoo?" Kadaj called to the middle brother sternly. Yazoo slowly raised his head to his brother's summons. "You and I will inform Brother at the Golden Saucer. Make sure you gun has enough ammo...unlike the last time," he added scornfully, rising from his chair.

Yazoo let out a soft scoff and rolled his eyes. It was not his fault that Loz stumbled across a hive of King Behemoths and had forgotten his gun. Yazoo had used up all his bullets to take out five of the nine of these beasts. Finally, after having enough of this charade, he called up his Shadow Creatures to distract them as he and Loz ran for cover. Where was Kadaj at the time? God knows, though when he returned late that night, he was slightly drunk and something glossy reflected off his lips. Yazoo and Loz decided to keep their mouths shut about the whole affair. Loz accidently let it slip the next morning. Yazoo snapped back to the present when he noticed Kadaj heading for the kitchen where Yuffie was alone and tied up.

"Where are you going?" Yazoo, finding his voice, managed to blurt out.

"Just getting a snack," Kadaj informed his older brother with a dominative smirk, stopping and turning his head to his brothers. Yazoo knew exactly what Kadaj was hinting at and found himself barring the doorway with his own body to prevent Kadaj from entering the other room. Kadaj stood before him nonchalantlysneering as he shook his head, his shoulder length hair glimmered as it fell back to cover one of his sinister unatural eyes.

"Get out of my way, Yazoo," Kadaj snapped menacingly, his tone was bording on rage. Neither of them moved, even when they heard the front door close. Knowing that this would turn out bad for Yazoo, Loz had gotten up from his seat and retreated outside for refuge. Yazoo stood his ground, only giving his younger brother a response by leaning his head slightly towards Kadaj, keeping his mystifying green eyes upon the floor and spoke in a soft murmur.

"Don't do this, Kadaj," he pleaded. "Please, not after what you did to Niyuki." The name croaked out of Yazoo's mouth. Painful memories of what happened three months ago burned in his mind. Kadaj only let out a laugh at his brother's request.

"She's three years older than her, Yazoo," Kadaj chuckled and approached his brother with a smirk playing on his lips. "And I won't make you watch," he added, whispering in Yazoo's ear, "Unless you want to. Now move."

Closing his eyes, Yazoo shook his head. "No, I won't."

"Well, then..." sighed Kadaj, taking a step back. Yazoo's eyes flashed in anger when he snapped his head up. A split second passed before Kadaj unleashed a forceful punch at him. Yazoo ducked, doubling over as he performed a roundhouse kick at Kadaj's head. Kadaj effortlessly blocked the blow with his forearm. With a laugh, Kadaj seized Yazoo's calf and grunted as he flung Yazoo to the wall near the door. Managing to let his feet take the impact, Yazoo sprung off the wall, launching himself at his younger brother. Kadaj spun back around and locked his arms with Yazoo. In countering, Yazoo vaulted from the position, landing on his left foot, back flipped and somehow, knowing Kadaj was running towards him, leapt back once more. Since Kadaj and Yazoo were equally matched in martial arts, both of them dodged or blocked various flurries of punches. Kadaj chuckled and let out scoff as he blocked another kick from Yazoo.

"If I didn't know better, Yazoo," he smirked as they locked their arms once more, "I'd say you have feelings for our little pixie." Yazoo struggled, trying to get out of their situation and looked up at Kadaj with annoyance in his eyes.

"You know why, Kadaj," he hissed softly.

Smirking once again, Kadaj butted his head into Yazoo, making him dazed at the moment, so Kadaj could have the advantage, but Yazoo recovered and thrust his knee into Kadaj's groin. As he groaned, uttering swear words at his older brother. Using the locking position they were in, Kadaj used all of his force to sling Yazoo across the room. Yazoo's back collided into the door. The wood splintered from the sudden impact, and then Yazoo's back smacked into a support beam for the roofing of the small porch. Loz only flinched when he heard the sickening crash. Turning around, Loz saw Yazoo wipe blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and lunged back into the house, not daring to accept defeat this time.

Yazoo tackled Kadaj when he made his move to the kichen again. Holding down his arms by capturing Kadaj's wrists and wrapping his legs around Kadaj's knees, Yazoo managed to restrain his younger brother. Kadaj struggled and grunted under the weight of Yazoo. Saying nothing, Yazoo tightened his grip on Kadaj.

"Get off," Kadaj ordered, struggling even more.

"You are not hurting her," Yazoo said in a dangerous tone.

"Well, I can't really hurt her when she's gone, now can I?" Kadaj snapped and then sneered. Forcing Yazoo off him, Kadaj jumped to his feet and delivered a kick to Yazoo's chest. Letting out only a gasp of pain, Yazoo jerked his head over to where Yuffie was supposed to be and only found the rags cut. She must have taken the knife for it was nowhere in sight. Scoffing, Yazoo picked himself up and went to the back door. Opening the door, he made a bitter promise to return with her.

"I'll hold you to that," Kadaj snarled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Thunder clashed in the distance and a light, drizzling rain fell from the grey, stormy clouds. Yazoo groaned irritably as he slammed the door behind him. Tiny raindrops fell upon his silver head and upon his leather jacket as he started out to search the dense woods. After ten minutes, Yazoo scanned the area with his mako eyes, scowling. Shifting his weight, Yazoo raised his left hand and a growling sound coulod be heard from the earth. Suddenly, bursting out of the ground in a tumble of leaves and black grains of shadows emerged two Shadow Creatures with a cry that was not natural to the animal kingdom. They charged ahead, sniping at each other so they could catch their prey first.

_She must be close_, Yazoo thought, walking calmly in the direction where his shadowy summons had taken off.

0o0o0o0

Yuffie panted as she made her way through the thick forest. Rain started to come down more fiercely and more brutally. Drops of icy water stung her eyes, nearly blinding her. In her right hand she held the kitchen knife that she used to free herself from her bonds. She succeeded in sneaking out the door just when Kadaj declared that he was getting a snack. In the not so far distance behind her, she heard the screeches and growls of some unknown beasts. Yuffie gasped and whipped around to see the dog-like black creatures bounding towards her with great speed.

Letting out a cry of shock, Yuffie broke into a full fledge run, panting more heavily and grunted as she broke through thin barriers of vines. She made the mistake to glance behind her to see her pursuers and her left foot caught a root. Crying out in pain and shock, Yuffie fell when her sudden burst of speed was taken away from a stubborn root. Her only weapon shot out from her hand and she rolled over just in time to see the creatures leaping in the air, their maws wide open for flesh. Yuffie screamed, raising both her arms to defend her face. The attack never came.

After waiting a few minutes, only hearing her own heavy breathing, rain falling, and an occasional roll of thunder, Yuffie dared to open her eyes. She was surprised to see Yazoo towering over her and looking down at her with a blank look upon his features. Scrunching up her face, Yuffie started to pout.

"Now look what you made me do!" she shouted. "You sic those rabid dogs on me and you made me twist my ankle!" She yelped when Yazoo responded by seizing her wrist and pulled her up sharply. Colliding into his chest, Yuffie blushed a little being in close contact with this Remnant, but her face turned crimson red when she felt his hot breath on her ear.

"If you had not escaped, little one, I wouldn't have had to summon and cause you to twist your ankle,"Yazoo hissed, apparently a bit vexed with her. Pulling away, he could see the ninja shivering. "You cold?" he questioned, his soft tone returning. When Yuffie chattered her teeth and nodded, Yazoo sighed as he stripped off his gun holster off and began to unzip his jacket.

Yuffie's eyes popped open as he removed his jacket, revealing his lean sculpted chest. "What the hell are you doing?!?" she demanded frantically. Yazoo turned his head to her innocently.

"What?" he asked andYuffie stuttered some, while making odd gestures with her hands. "I'm just giving you the jacket," he stated blandly. With that said, he drew close to her, throwing the leather jacket over her small shoulders, and simpered when some of the leather material pooled at her feet. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to walk on her on because of her ankle, Yazoo reached over, wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees, and picked her up swiftly. Yuffie's face reddened once more as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck and buried her face in his pale chest, hearing the soft beating of his heart. Yazoo looked down at her confusedly at her actions, but then shrugged it off as he headed back with Yuffie in his arms.

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**(A/N)** A long Christmas chap just for you all and Yazoo got to kick Kadaj's ass some! Whoo! Let me know if the fighting scene sucked or not please. Next chap should come in two days, if not that means that I'm either sick, dead, or my mom's getting me to put up some holiday junk. It's most likely to be the latter. So, a shout to all my faithful reviewers(you know who you are)! You all get Yazoo plushies and chibis!!! And my readers(you know who you are) get hot cocoa and a couple a pics of our sexy Yazoo. :) So, guys? What'd ya think?

::Yuffie drools at the thought of Yazoo without his jacket. Yazoo steps away from her::

forgiven4ever: Well, got a positive reaction with Yuffie! Yazoo?

Yazoo: I finally kicked someone's ass.

forgiven4ever: Awww. Don't worry, boyo. I'll put these special fight scenes, showing your awesome moves later on.

Yazoo: I have only two in the movie.

forgiven4ever: There are a lot of martial junk out there I can read up or something. Now, my fellow readers if you want to give a shout out to Yazoo or Yuffie if any guys out there are reading this, add in your review and you might get a shout out! God bless and Merry Christmas!


	5. Chapter 5

forgiven4ever: It's that time again! A lotta people reviewed since last time!

Yazoo: Oh, no...

forgiven4ever: Sorry, but people loved you kicking Kadaj's ass, and giving your jacket to Yuffie.

Yuffie, still starstruck about Yazoo without his jacket: Yeah...that sure was sweet, Yazoo.

Yazoo: If I had known you were going to get that hormornal about it, I'd keep the jacket.

forgiven4ever: Yazoo, be nice. Now, hopefully, this chap will be longer than my others, sorry I've been busy. Writer's block, games and movies, and dealing with Sissy. She stole my Monster's Angel notebook.

Yuffie: Interesting. Can we talk about _this _story?

forgiven4ever: Oh, which reminds me! If you readers and reviewers love SephirothAeris stories please read my story A Monster's Angel, it's got lots of fluff and Sephiroth is hopelessly in love with our flower girl. Lol. I don't own AC, though I wish I did, because Yazoo would still be alive. -sniff-

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_**Painful Memories**_

Yazoo refused to flinch to the stinging pain that came from the harsh droplets of freezing rain. Looking down at the captive, he let a simper played upon his lips at what he saw. In his arms was the small ninja, her face nestled against his shoulder, her hot breath upon his pale skin. The small heat from her own frail body made the rain almost bearable, but still Yazoo needed to get back to the shack and fast. His neck stiffened when Yuffie mumbled something, moving her head up to the crook of his neck again. Still mumbling in her sleep, Yazoo cringed when he felt her lips forming soundless words on his shoulder. The featherly light touch felt nice, but the silver haired gunner never felt a soft touch in his life, only bruises and tearing of the flesh abused his pale skin for many years, hardly crying out, only showing his pain by flinching or wincing.

"S-s-s-so c-c-c-cold," shivered the small ninja, suddenly shaking. Her lips brushed against his shoulder again. At that, Yazoo shuddered as well because of this feather light torture. Though, he had to admit, it felt nice. Suddenly, Yazoo felt flushed in the freezing rain. Yuffie shifted again, and Yazoo stiffened even more; her mouth was now on his neck! Sighing in content, Yuffie snuggled even closer like a lover snuggling closer to their loved one. Her warm breath on Yazoo's neck made him walk faster. The quicker he got to the shack the sooner he can get out of this awkward position. But then, he stopped, relaying his thought. The sooner he got to the shack, the sooner he had to face Kadaj, and that meant... Yazoo left that thought unfinished, not wanting to think it. Looking up at the dreary sky, the dark grey clouds threatened to two with a flash of lighting and a roll of thunder.

_I've got to find temporary shelter until it lightens up,_ Yazoo concluded, looking around. Recollecting his scouting a few days prior, he remembered a cave somewhere nearby. Well, to be truthful, it was more like an alcove, but it was shelter, no less. It was around here somewhere, Yazoo was sure of it. Then a flash of lighting, casued Yazoo to whip his head to the sudden light. There was his alcove. He thanked whatever god was out there who was watching over him this day as he walked over to the small cave. Sitting himself down with Yuffie still in his arms. He shifted her into a sitting position, in-between his legs, her back against his chest. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder.

"No you don't, little one," Yazoo whispered into her ear, picking up his holster and withdrawing Velvet Nightmare. He may have forgotten the Restore materia, but he did bring his fire3 materia. Popping the red materia out of the handle of his gun, he encircled his arms around the small ninja, still holding the fire3 materia and idly placed her hands on the materia with his. "_Ka,_" he murmured, and the orb glowed dimly, but grew brighter by the minute.

Yazoo smirked and looked down at Yuffie who was snuggled close to him, breathing in shuddering breaths, but that soon desist and she allowed herself to nestle closer to Yazoo's warm chest. Taking in the little ninja's features, Yazoo absentmindly brushed away the ebony strands from her face. Her creamy white complexion glowed a soft orange from the fire3 materia. The childlike expression on her face made her look younger than sixteen. Memories from three months ago plagued his mind. Yazoo was holding a small, frail girl with strawberry blonde hair and soft green eyes. She was crying.

0o0o0o0

"_Ssh," Yazoo hissed softly as he rocked her back and forth in the corner of the shack. "Do you want him to hear you?" He held her like a brother would hold his sister, trying to soothe her. The thunderstorm outside was raging its wrath upon the old weak shack, threatening to tear it down, though the building stood its ground. _

_The girl gulped and shook her head, strands of her wavy hair stuck to her tear streaked face, obsurring only two of the harsh bruises upon her face. "Yazoo?" she whispered softly, looking up at the nineteen year old Remnant. "Don't let him hurt me anymore. Please..."_

"_Niyuki," Yazoo said in a soft tone, taking the young girl's chin and looked into her green eyes. "I promise I won't let him hurt you." Niyuki let out a choked sob and buried her face in his shoulder, clutching to the Remnant._

"_Thank you," she murmured into his shoulder. Yazoo patted her back and rocked her again as the storm began to show its wrath once again with another spear of lighting flashing through the sky._

"_Oh, isn't this sweet?" a cruel sneering remark came from the doorway. Yazoo whipped around to see Kadaj, towering over them as the thunder crashed in the distance. _

0o0o0o0

Yazoo awoke with a jerk. It was the same nightmare he had been having ever since that day. The night when Niyuki died, after he had promised her...Kadaj made him watch. From the moment when he violated the thirteen year old, to the event of when he slit her throat with Souba. Her sad green eyes spilling tears as she fell to the floor and crimson liquid stained her long hair. By God, he was not going to let someone else suffer that same ill fate. Not even his enemy who was asleep in his arms.

When the storm lightened up, Yazoo reluctantly carried Yuffie out of the alcove, almost wishing that the storm continued its anger, but it was not so. After catching sight of the small cabin, Yazoo remembered that he was still shirtless and he was carrying Yuffie bridal style. Knowing Kadaj, Yazoo knew he would never hear the end of it. So, shaking her slightly, Yazoo tried waking the little ninja up. She stirred, but returned back to her slumber. Yazoo sighed and pinched her shoulder with the hand holding her there.

"What!?!?!?" Yuffie shouted, slightly jumping in his arms. Apparently, Yuffie did not liked to be aroused by pinching. Her ankle throbbed when she jumped, so she winced from the pain.

"I need the jacket back," he stated blandly and his face indifferent, setting her down, propping her against a tree. Tilting his head, Yazoo held out his left hand and beckoned for the leather coat. The ninja responded by clinging the jacket tighter to her. "Give me the jacket, little one," he ordered in a gentile manner.

"I'm cold!" Yuffie whined, clinging to the leather material as much as possible.

Yazoo sighed. "We're almost there," he pointed out, turning his head to the direction where the cabin laid. Yuffie nibbled her bottom lip as he faced her again, those cat-like eyes boring into hers. "Give me the jacket. Now..."

Yuffie rolled her eyes and peeled off the warm jacket that stuck to her skin from rain mingeled with cold sweat. Limping over to him, she shoved the jacket into his arms. "There!" she snapped, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. "Happy?"

"Very," Yazoo retorted cooly, slipping on the long black leather jacket that fell to his ankles, zipping it up to his neck. He noticed the captive was watching him in wonder. He turned to her fully and shifted his weight in one of his stances. He arched an eyebrow at her, and she immediately snapped out of her dazed impression she had liked to call thinking. "What?" he questioned.

"Um," stammered Yuffie, fiddling with her fingers. "This may seem like an odd question..."

"Yes?"

"Okay,..." Yuffie took a deep breath before continuing. "Why is it...that Kadaj and Loz...um,..." she left the sentence cold.

Yazoo blinked confusedly. "I don't know why Kadaj and Loz act like they do," he answered with a shrug. "But, rest assured, they won't harm you."

"No!" Yuffie shouted, turning red in the face. "It's not about that..."

"Then what is it?" Yazoo demanded, wishing she would just get to the point.

"Um..." Yuffie murmured, blushing deeply. "Why is it that Kadaj and Loz...um, not zip up their jacket's all the way...and you...do? I mean, you're not that bad looking." She let out a squeak and clamped her mouth shut. At this, Yazoo chuckled which embarrassed Yuffie even more. What's more, she felt herself flustered and shuffle her feet. _Gawd, this is embarrassing, _she thought. _Talking to a bad guy about how sculpted and lean his chest is. Ahhhhh! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, bad thoughts!_

"I'm not as vain as my brothers," Yazoo stated, strapping back on his holster.

"Yeah, right," Yuffie scoffed. "What about the long well kept hair?"

Yazoo rolled his mako eyes, before whipping out his Velvet Nightmare. "Come on," he said in a smooth tone. "Let's go."

"_Now_ you use that thing?" Yuffie demanded, limping ahead with the barrel of Velvet Nightmare jabbing in her back. "What happened to you wanting to strip and carry me around?" The silver gunblade was pressed against her back more. "Ow! What?!?!?"

"Listen, little one," Yazoo declared in a firm tone, grasping her shoulder and steering her towards the shack. He was just behind her, his chest to her back. "If Kadaj caught me carrying you around with my jacket on, he'll harrass me about..." he left that sentence cold, not wanting to touch on the subject.

"About you raping me?" Yuffie inquired bluntly and Yazoo was grateful that she did not see him wince. "Why does he do that?" Her answer jabbed her in the back again.

"Never you mind," Yazoo snapped. "Come on."

When they reached the back door, Yazoo made Yuffie open it and guided her to sit down on the small chair at the table while he searched for a replacement of the cloth restraints. Keeping Velvet Nightmare and one eye on her, Yazoo rummaged through the countertop's drawers, until he found what he was looking for; a pair of handcuffs. Picking it up with one hand and looking down at them, Yazoo reminisced. Niyuki wore these on the night she died. The Remnant slammed the drawer shut and turned to Yuffie.

"Up," he ordered and then motioned her with his gun for her to move over to where the pipe was. Yuffie inwardly groaned as she stood in front of the pipe, facing her captor. Yazoo sheathed Velvet Nightmare, and reached around her, taking her left wrist and secured it in one of the restraints. Then, he took her right hand and whipped her around to face the pipe and clamped the other hand into the other cuff. She was cuffed to the pipe, but Yuffie analyzed the handcuffs, they looked ordinary, making she could get her lockpick from her shorts and pry it open. Yazoo read her mind.

"Don't even think about it, little one," Yazoo whispered, his breath tickling Yuffie's cheek. "These handcuffs restrict any movement in your arms. Everytime you move, you'll feel a painful shock. Try if you will, but you will fail to escape again." With that, Yazoo turned on his heel and left, secretly wishing he did not have to use those handcuffs. From the kitchen, he heard Yuffie yelp from a shock received when she tried to move. Then Kadaj came in through the front door, smirking when he caught glimpse of Yazoo. The nineteen year old bit back a groan.

"So, you caught our little pixie," the other smirked, taking long strides towards the kitchen. "She may have wings, but it seems the storm blew the pixie off course. Yazoo," Kadaj called to his older brother. "Prepare to leave. Check the bikes." Yazoo reluctantly obeyed, heading out the door and leaving Yuffie alone with Kadaj. A dreadful fear knotted his stomach, but Yazoo continued, opening the door. Giving Kadaj a burning glare at his back, Yazoo then slammed the door shut behind him, praying that the little ninja will be stronger.

Inside, Kadaj leaned against the doorframe of the small kitchen, watching Yuffie, whose back was to him, but she shivered, for she knew he had come. He simpered as he moved from the doorframe and took long strides towards her. When he was behind her, he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her to his chest. Kadaj bent low to her ear, his lips brushing against her neck just below the ear. He smirked when her breathing hitched.

"Looks like your escape plan didn't work, pixie," he hissed, nibbling her neck and then moved up to her ear. "One would think you didn't like it here." Kadaj took her earlobe between his teeth and Yuffie winced in pain and tried to turn away, not wanting him to try to claim her mouth and steal her first kiss. Kadaj seemed to read her mind as he grabbed her chin, turning her face to his, eyes glinting with evil. "So...have you ever been kissed before?" he asked and darkly chuckled when her stormy grey eyes widened. He pushed her against the wall, his face mere inches from hers. Kadaj leaned into her, his mouth hovering hers. "Well, allow me to be the first," he murmured.

Yuffie surprised him though, smacking her head into his, causing him to stagger back and nearly knocked himself over with a chair, and saw stars flashed across her eyes. The ninja was determined not to be taken, even if it killed her. She was not going to lose something special to this bastard. Her attacker picked himself up from the floor, glaring at Yuffie. Kadaj growled, about to unleash his anger when Yazoo came into the kitchen.

"Kadaj?" he called to him blankly. "Let's go."

Kadaj glowered at Yuffie before scoffing and turning on his heel. Yazoo looked over at the young captive with sad eyes as if to apologize to her. Then Loz came into the room and plopped himself down on one of the chairs and stared at Yuffie with unblinking eyes. Yuffie felt herself uneasy and felt so exposed and turned to face the wall, though she felt Loz looking at her ass. Cursing him and Kadaj in every foul tongue in her mind, she heard Yazoo sighed and walked away. She was truly now alone.

0o0o0o0

"Hey, Kadaj?" Yazoo dared to speak up as the two silver haired Remnants entered the amusement park of the Golden Saucer. "Do you think _Nii-san_ would still be here? What if he had left in search for the ninja?"

Kadaj grinned wolfishly. "Then, I guess we get the little pixie all to ourselves," he informed Yazoo, who looked away, hoping and praying that they would find Big Brother or someone from his group. Or even a damn Turk. Just _anybody _who knew him to get the message to him. Yazoo scanned the crowds and no one who he remembered was there.

"Let's check the inns," he suggested. Kadaj snorted but followed his brother into an inn. Inquiries were made, but the answers were negative. It was like this for two hours and there was no trace of the old AVALANCHE group. When Kadaj was about to drag Yazoo out of the Golden Saucer, a red tattered cloak caught the nineteen year old's eye. It was the gunner of the group, an expermint of Pr. Hojo's, an old Turk by the name of Vincent Valentine. Silently, the two remnants followed Vincent through the waves of crowds, keeping their distance, but kept him in their sights.

The weilder of Chaos, Hellsmaker, Gigas, and Galian, knew he was being tracked for his dog-like demon, Galian informed him of this as Vincent merged through the crowds. Knowing that they would follow him, Vincent led them through an alley and disappeared into the shadows. He had them now; Chaos was craving for blood, Hellsmaker, Gigas, and Galian were pounding his skull, wanting out. Vincent denied their wants as he loaded Cerberus, the remnants were his kill and his alone. He jumped stealthily up to the rooftops and watched the two stalkers entered the dark alley below. The one with shoulder length silver hair, unsheathed his double katana; the long haired one slid his hand behind his back, fingering his weapon. Vincent knew these remnants from six months ago; the youngest was Kadaj, the larval form of Sephiroth; whilst the gunner was a 'brother' of Kadaj, Vincent never heard his name, but knew he was an excellent gunner almost as well as he.

Just then, Vincent jumped from the rooftop, firing Cerberus. Kadaj deflected the oncoming rain of bullets with his sword and the older one whipped out his gunblade, firing at Vincent. The demon wielder twisted his body around as his feet landed upon the siding of the building and vaulted towards them, flipping over once and fired twiced before he landed before them. The remnants prepared themselves for another attack from Vincent, but he made no move as he straightened himself and bore his red eyes into their mako ones.

"Where's Yuffie?" he growled, fingering the trigger of the three barreled gun that was still by his right side. Yuffie was like a young friend to him; it was nothing more than that, but by God, if they had hurt her in any way... "I said, where is she?" Vincent brought up Cerberus to aim at Kadaj. At the same time the older one aimed his gunblade at Vincent. There was a long pause of silence until Kadaj chuckled, breaking the eerie silence.

"Alive," he answered cooly. "For now."

"What do you want, Kadaj?" Vincent demanded, not daring to lower his defenses. He glanced for a moment at the older one whose impression was indifferent, but prepared to fire when necessary. Vincent noticed the other gunner tensed up when Kadaj spoke again.

"The same as last time, Valentine," he declared in a dangerous tone. "Tell Big Brother to give us Mother in two weeks, or your little ninja won't be so alive...or so pure."

Vincent snarled, glaring into the eyes of the sixteen year old, his gun arm tensed again, readied to fire. "You touch her and I swear..."

Kadaj only laughed. "Oh, look, Yazoo," he said to the other remnant with a murderous glimmer in his unnatural green eyes. "You've got a bit of competition."

The demon wielder blinked, almost lowering Cerberus. "W-what?" he managed to croak, turning his gaze to the other; Yazoo, who shamely looked down at the ground for a moment, before returning the gaze with one of his own. Vincent could see in his eyes that he bore no malice unlike his brother, almost a sadness...of guilt.

"Kadaj?" Yazoo finally spoke, his voice calm, though a bit forceful. "We've delivered the message, let's go." He smoothly sheathed his gun and turned on his heel, wanting to go away and hide somewhere; somewhere _away_ from Kadaj. Soon, his younger brother caught up with him with a defiant smirk upon his face. Yazoo's fists clenched as he relayed the message in his mind. Yazoo would not let Kadaj harm Yuffie in that way. No one should go through what Niyuki went through at an age so young. The young remnant then thought about the ninja and wondered how she was faring with Loz.

Nota Bene: _ka_ is Japanese for fire...I think. Tell me if I'm wrong plz.

-----------------------------------------------

**(A/N)** Ooooooh, Yuffie's in a pickle. Vincent's actin' like Sherlock, reading eyes! I think I got his demons wrong. Let me know if I did. I won't be able to update until the weekend. So sorry. School first. Also, my dad watched AC for the first time! He picked on Sephiroth, Yazoo, Kadaj, Reno, Cloud, Vincent,...ugh. Called Vincent a 'weird cat with a red cape'.

Vincent: Grrrrr.

forgiven4ever: Shout outs to Vampyric Ninja, kyakya991, Shadow230, CaeliaDanan, blueravenchick, Wolf Hanyou 3, Yazoo IS Superior, JingYee, pangpond, DreamlessRiver and especially to Kira-Kira Shiloh! You all get hugs and kisses from Yazoo.

Yazoo, turning white: That's a lot of girls...

forgiven4ever: If they're any guys reading this, which I highly doubt, you all get kisses and hugs from Yuffie.

Yuffie: Blech!

forgiven4ever: Flames and reviews are welcomed but remember, flames will be used to burn Sephiroth, Zack, and Genesis at stake...

Sephiroth, Zack, and Genesis, squirming on the stakes: Don't flame for God's sake! PLEASE!!!!

forgiven4ever: God bless, and see ya on the weekend!


	6. Chapter 6

::forgiven4ever was in a dungeon, shivering, until the door creaked open and the hallelujah chorus was heard. Cheerfully, she skipped out, and spun around, taking in the sweet air of freedom::

forgiven4ever: FREEEEEEDOOOMMM!!!! -starts to head out when suddenly a loophole from a rope caught her ankle and hoists her upside down- HEY! WTH?!?!!? I was grounded for 2 weeks already! MOM!

Yazoo: Actually, Yuffie set that up.

Yuffie: We want you to write a chap...now.

forgiven4ever: I already _wrote _the damn chaps -shoves papers to them- here! Two chaps! Go!

Yuffie: Thank you! -skips out- Come on Yazoo!

Yazoo: Coming.

forgiven4ever: Hey, what about me!?!?!?!?

* * *

_**Fury**_

Burning. That was the only way to decribe Loz's mako orbs, or so Yuffie thought as she dared to glance over her shoulder again. Once again, there was Loz, staring listlessly down at her lower half. Yuffie turned away quickly and shifted her weight on her left foot for her right ankle was still sore from being twisted. She could stand on it, but not for very long. Chewing on her lower lip, Yuffie pondered over where her friends were, and...how soon Yazoo would come back. Out of the three captors, he was the only one who treated her with some dignity. Not staring at her assets, like Loz was doing at the moment, and not invading her personal bubble like Kadaj did. All he did was cuffed her to the pipe, like any captor would do, and left her. Alone. With Loz. Though, he did not exactly had a choice, Kadaj seems intent to keep him away from Yuffie. Strip her from her shield to leave her vulnerable to the wolves. Yuffie would have given all her materia to Reno of the Turks to have Yazoo sitting at the table, cleaning his gunblade than Loz.

Loz never did talk much, but he did leaned his head back, taking in her slender frame, especially her long legs. Willing to bet his Dual Hound, Loz imagined that those legs could wrap around his waist not once, but twice. There was a nice mental picture for him of her writhing beneath him. He knew he had a feral grin upon his face, for it caused Yuffie to tremor slightly. This only made him even more excited. Grunting when he stood up, Loz simpered with a dark gleam as he approached her; a gleam she knew all too well. Before she knew it, Yuffie felt his chest lightly touching her back. She let out a whimper when a bold hand lingered up and down her left arm. The leather-clad fingers brushed up the column of her neck and tangled themselves between her strands of silky ebony hair. Yuffie grimaced when Loz bent his head down and brushed his nose against her hair.

"So soft," he murmured, bringing up his other bold hand, brushing up and down the back of her right thigh. Just then, he groped her backside. As an instinct, Yuffie had jerked her right leg up and her heel connected hard into his crotch. Fortunate for her, that happened to be a weak spot for him. Scowling and sucking in breaths, Loz stumbled for the support of the chair. Gimacing when he sate down, Loz returned to his previous task of just watching Yuffie squirm as he stared once again at her ass and her long legs. "You got nice legs," he complimented in a husky, though pained, voice, still wincing a bit from the 'battle wound' he had received.

This made Yuffie extremely uncomfortable and she tasted bile at the back of her throat. Usually, she would shrug off the remark, because mostly it was either Reno, drunk of sober, and the regulars at Seventh Heaven, but this made Yuffie more self-conscious about how much skin she was showing. She loved her white short shorts and her green shirt that showed a lot her midriff, and she would never exchange them for anything else, but right at this moment, Yuffie wished she was wearing baggy clothing that covered 90 of her milky skin from the Remnant who sat there, ogling at her.

_Damn, where are you Yazoo?_ She pondered as she heard Loz arose from his chair again. At least, with Yazoo, Kadaj and Loz leave her alone, if only for a while, but she was still proctected some when he was around. She was utterly alone. When she heard Loz take another step towards her, Yuffie narrowed her stormy eyes. _Ah, the boy still wants to ply with the forbidden toy? Time for a little 'reminder'._ Crying out as she turned a bit, Yuffie thrust out her good leg, kicking Loz in the groan area again, immediately regretting it for her twisted ankle burned and threatened to give way soon. However, Loz was not about to let this slide, seizing her calf harshly, squeezing it hard. Even though her combat boots were tough, they seemed like mere cloth now as Loz left a nice ugly bruise underneath the material of her boot. Grinning wolfishly, Loz began to approach slowly towards her, still holding her leg, pulling it towards him as if it were some frail piece of rope.

_Shit_, Yuffie scowled and saw only one chance though it would hurt like hell. Without any warning whatsoever, Yuffie used Loz's arms as a brace and swinging up her bum leg, her foot connecting into something personal of his. A devious smirk etched across her lips as the Remnant groaned loudly, doubling over as he winced and seethed through his teeth. _Talk about a bruised ego_, Yuffie mused as Loz slowly, but surely, walked, actually keeled his way into the other room for the comfort that the couch had to offer him. The sweet victory was at last in the captee's hands and Loz knew it as he sanked into the couch. He was definitely not trying that again for a long time. Well, at least to her.

Weakly, he turned his head to the door when he heard it creak from the rusty hinges. There, standing boldly was Kadaj, glowering down at him. Yazoo was just behind him, with an eyebrow arched up delicately high. His weight was shifted upon his left leg, and his eyes narrowed to the kitchen. When he saw Yuffie still unharmed, Yazoo let out a small breath of relief; small enough so that his brothers would not notice. Kadaj, however, was now walking over to the fallen Remnant on the couch, with an evil glare upon his eyes. Loz involuntarily let out a soft whimper because of the rage he was recieiving from Kadaj's cold eyes.

"What are you doing?" the youngest of the three demanded in a low hiss.

Loz groaned, trying to get more comfortable from the pain he was experiencing at the moment. "That little bitch kicked me."

"Where?"

"Where do you think!?" Loz snapped and groaned. "And she kicked it three times."

At this, Kadaj let out a crazed laugh and Loz buried his face in a throw pillow to hide from humilation, though it was impossible. Neither of them took notice of Yazoo, who was walking towards the kitchen at the time. That is, until Loz raised his head and spotted him at the doorway.

"You can have her, Yazoo!"

It was then Kadaj snapped his head up to see Yazoo at the doorway to the kitchen and his slitted pupils shrank. Stealthily following his older brother, Kadaj tilted his head slightly, letting his silver curtain of hair conceal half of his face, as he watched Yazoo's actions carefully as he did that night three months ago. Kadaj only let a small chuckle escape his lips as he observed the two.

Seeing Yazoo, Yuffie could not help but feel relieved. A light was in his eyes and it told the ninja that there was a glimpse of that same feeling. Now sitting cross-legged, Yuffie looked up at Yazoo and flashed him a grin at him.

"Boy, am I glad you're here!" she proclaimed. "Your muscled-headed brother was getting horny on me."

"As usual, our little pixie is unable to keep that pretty little mouth of hers shut," a cold reply came from the doorway and Yazoo pivoted around to see Kadaj, leaning against the doorway, with a coy smile upon his lips. His eyes, however, were focused on Yuffie, who squirmed under his gaze. After being satified of her uneasiness for a few moments, he lazily turned his head to the other silver-haired man. "Oh, dear Yazoo, you have forgotten to inform pixie here that an old dear friend of hers misses her."

Yuffie's eyes shot wide upon with much interest, her already big eyes were wide as saucers now. "Who?" she demanded, struggling. "Who was it? If it was Reno, aw man, I'm screwed! Please tell me you did not tell those turkeys! Reno would never let me live it down! Dammit! Stupid, damn, f—in' cuffs!" Grunting, Yuffie struggled with the cuffs, only letting out pained whimpers from the shocks from the restraints. "Couldn't you have tied me up with rope or something?"

Kadaj only laughed, pushing himself off the doorframe and approached Yuffie. "I think you know him a little better than the red-head, pixie." He stood in front of her, bent down on one knee, and took ahold of her chin, forcing the ninja princess to look into his boring eyes. "I'll give you a hint, pixie. He and Yazoo have the same weapon...Does Valentine ring a bell?"

Yuffie's eyes widened even more if that were possible. "...Vincent...?" she uttered so softly.

"Ah, so you do know him?" Kadaj simpered, stroking her bottom lip with his thumb. "So, my little pixie. Will your Valentine come for you?" Her lip trembled and Kadaj relished it. "Oh, what is this?" he mocked. "Is my little pixie firghtened? Well,..." Kadaj then drew close, rubbing his cheek against hers. Yuffie could feel his lips form a smirk just behind her ear. "You haven't seen the worst of me...yet." She winced when he placed a damp kiss just under her ear, and tilted his head a bit and captured her earlobe between his teeth and sucked on it, softly moaning in her ear.

Yazoo immediately stiffened, seeing Kadaj toying with Yuffie like this. But his heart wrenched when he saw her pleading eyes staring up at him brimmed with tears. Narrowing his eyes, Yazoo found himself reaching behind his back where Velvet Nightmare laid in wait. Very gently and stealthily, the gunblade eased out of its holster. The silver gun was now hanging limply by Yazoo's left side, his index finger now twitching, aching to curl around the trigger and squeeze.

It was then Loz had to cough. Kadaj and Yazoo whipped their heads to their older brother. Hios mako eyes was clamped on Yazoo's gunblade that was still hanging limply by his side. Kadaj had also detected this and looked up at Yazoo from his crouched position with a slightly confused face, though his orbs narrowed. Yuffie only dared to let a soft whimper past her lips, breaking the eerie silence.

"What are you doing?" Kadaj's commanding voice sneere, letting his lips twitch into a smirk.

The silver haired gunner was quick to counter this by approaching the table, which ironically had a rag resting upon it, his gunblade casually swinging back and forth. Once he reached the table, Yazoo gingerly picked up the rag and began to rub his gun, Velvet Nightmare began to gleam dully as Yazoo absentmindly wiped his gun clean. Kadaj's smirk in return, vanished, transforming into a scowl. A glint of hop blashed before the petite ninja's stormy eyes.

No more words were exchanged as Kadaj quickly straightened himself so fluidly, it was almost inhuman. While he approached his older brother, Yuffie caught Yazoo shifting his eyes at Kadaj momentarily, before turning his gaze back to his gunblade. Once Kadaj was at Yazoo's side, in a quick reflex, Kadaj had took ahold of Yazoo's right wrist that held the rag and held it tightly. Yazoo's expression did not change other than slight annoyance, but one had to be real close to tell.

"What?" the older remnant asked softly, turning his head to Kadaj. His answer was a sudden twist in his wrist, Yazoo bit back a grimace and held his tongue back from crying out. One more twist and his wrist would snap, Yazoo, Kadaj, and Loz were injumanely strong but still they were not indestructable. Instead, Yazoo let out a sigh and tilted his head to the left, still looking at his younger brother with irritance.

"Don't ever let me catch you doing that again," Kadaj's voice was full of menance and promise of hurt. "You are beginning to forget you place, dear brother."

"I wasn't—"

_Crack!_ The bone was snapped and Yazoo only allowed a wince to play upon his features. Yuffie unintentionally let out a gasp.

"Bullshit!" Kadaj spat, twisting Yazoo's wrist a bit more and another satifying crack was heard. There was a small simper upon the agressor's face, but it disappeared a moment after. "You're fortunate," he growled. "Mother needs us all this time, otherwise; I would not hesitate cutting you down for that." After that was said, Kadaj released his borther's hand and stormed off into the other room. His departance was known when he slammed the front door.

* * *

**(A/N)** It's alive!!!!! All right. I got grounded for 2 weeks...didn't have time to warn ya'll. Sorry about that. Also...my Kadaj/Yuffie story got deleted. Some jerk reported me. So...I've reposted it and I'll post up next chap a little later. Hope ya'll forgive me for not updating sooner. 


	7. Chapter 7

::forgiven4ever was still swinging back and forth upside-down, humming, notices reader::

forgiven4ever: Oh, hey, still hanging here. _Can't you see I'm white and nerdy? _Sorry, I love that song. Well, as you see...Yazoo and Yuffie left me here. Here's another chap, hopefully it's longer than last. _I'm just too white and nerdy. _Enjoy... Don't own...losing consciousness. GUYS?!?!?!? GET ME THE HELL DOWN!

EGCutter: Aw, N_ee-chan_ is upset...

Endlesshorizon: You think we should cut her down?

EGCutter: I dunno. That ninja's knots are hard to untie.

4ever: _Nii-san, _get your ass over here and cut me down!

EGCutter: And if I don't...?

4ever: You wanna face my dad!?!?

:: Daddy bursts through door with shotgun and the Crocodile Dundee hat and speaks with an Aussie accent::

Daddy: Crikey, 4ever! I'll get you down! No worries! -aims and shoots causing rope to snap-

4ever: AAGH!-_crash!-_Ow. That's better. Readers enjoy and review plz?

* * *

_**Breaking Point**_

Even though his wrist was now broken, Yazoo smirked, loving feeling of being bictor for once and he knew the captive was once again spared from Kadaj's advances. Yuffie, however was freaking out.

"Omigod! Omigod! Omigod!" she screamed, ignoring Loz's moans in the opposite room, telling her to shut up. "Your hand! Your hand! Omigod! It's—"

Yazoo had not acknowledged Yuffie since he was more into his now broken right hand. The gunner had calmly set Velvet Nightmare back on the table and held his right wrist, rubbing it gentlyl Then, Yazoo pulled his left hand away from his right and flicked his wrist as if to test it.

"—not broken??" Yuffie finished, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and awe. "How did you do that?" she demanded so softly.

Yazoo raised his head to her a bit, before turning his attention back to his faithful sidearm. After collecting his gun and the rag, Yazoo sat himself down at the table, continuing his privious task before Kadaj interrupted him. It was like this for several minutes until Yuffie's outcry.

"Hey, Silver!" she called. "Don't leave me hangin' here!"

Yazoo bit back a groan. He wished she wouldn't call him that, it really annoyed him. Yazoo turned his head to her. Yuffie countered this look with a glare, making Yazoo unintentionally simper. Her glare looked like what a five year old would do; it looked cute. The gunner decided to amuse her.

"As remnants we are trained to be vigilant, intellegent, and are assumed to be invincible, little one." Yazoo replied cooly, returning his attention back to Velvet Nightmare. "Did the red-headed Turk ever tell you what happened on the bridge?"

Yuffie scoffed. "More like boasted. Says he and Baldy blew you and muscle man over there up!"

"That is true," Yazoo confirmed, nodding his head once.

"But that's impossible!" Yuffie shouted, and then yelped when the handcuffs punished her when she jostled her hands some. "Ow. Tifa and I saw you two blow Cloud up!"

"That is true also."

"Ugh!"

"Loz and I managed to...'mend' ourselves before we confronted _Nii-san_," Yazoo explained.

"Hello?" Yuffie proclaimed as she rolled her eyes. "I am not stupid, Silver. I saw that esplosion that the Turks pulled off. No way in hell can anybody live through that."

Yazoo let a small smile crept upon his lips. "Well, any _normal _person could not, I suppose."

"Huh?"

Yazoo whipped his head to her. "We are _not_ normal, little one," he stated solemnly. Rubbing the rag back and forth along the already clean barrel of the gun, Yazoo stared blankly at the wall. "Infused with Mako, erasing all memories, only know how to kill and not be killed. Survial, they called it; murder, the others clamed."

"Others?" Yuffie inquired.

"The villagers. They called us...monsters," Yazoo answered indifferently, still staring at the wall. "We were made; not born."

The ninja shifted uncomfortable. "Hey, Silver?" she called. "Is it possible to get me something to eat? I mean, all I had was water and I'm about to pass out..."

Sighing, Yazoo put down his weapon and rag and rose from the chair, approaching the counter where a set of cabinets sat above it. Opening each one, Yazoo pondered on what to give her. There was nothing much, just several cans of different soups, dried fruit, and two loaves of bread. Choosing the dried fruit and bread, Yazoo glanced down at the captive, her stormy eyes were set upon the artifaces he had discovered. Setting the food on the counter briefly, Yazoo turned to Yuffie.

"Stand up," he commanded in a soft tone and she grunted as she untangled herself. In order for her to sit cross-legged as she did, Yuffie had to twist her arms and strained the cuffs a bit, causing them to bite her wrists, and the shocks were not exactly helpful either when she had managed to twist her body into the position she liked. It was the same story as she straightened herself, facing the cursed pipe once again. Yazoo began searching the drawers for the small key.

"Loz?" he called to his older brother. "Where's the key?" His answer was a sniff and a whimper. Yazoo retreated to the other room to see the situation. Loz was still sprawled over the couch, but his face was buried in a throw pillow. "Loz?"

"I knew I forgot something," Loz groaned.

"Don't cry, Loz," Yazoo stated, a bit coldly.

"I'm _not_ crying!" Loz shouted defensively, jerking his head to Yazoo, who just retorted this brusque action by shifting his weight on one foot and folded his arms upon his chest.

"Fine then," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Where's the key?"

Loz fidgeted a bit before answering. "Uh, remember last week when I went...out?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Yazoo remarked, rolling his eyes.

"Um, well, you see," he began, shifting his eyes to the floor. "I'd thought I'd do something different so I took the cuffs and the key and I—"

"Never mind," Yazoo snapped, grimacing. "I do not want to know. So, you left the key...there?"

"...Yeah..."

"Is there a spare?"

"Kadaj would know."

Yazoo sighed, dropping his arms and relaxing his shoulders. "Figures," he muttered, turning on his heel.

"Yazoo?" He turned back around to his brother's summons and tiled his head a bit, waiting for Loz to continue.

"What was that back there?" Loz questioned in a low voice.

Yazoo blinked. "What?"

"That whole thing with you and Kadaj," Loz hissed impatiently.

"Nothing," Yazoo lied curtly.

"Hmmph," the other brother huffed, throughing his head back, thumping against the armrest. "You, my brother, are difficult."

Yazoo returned this by slightly bowing his head in gratitude. "Thank you," he stated, retreating back to the kitchen to find Yuffie struggling to obtain the food. She had knocked off the loaf of bread off the counter somehow. Wincing and softly crying out at each shock from the manacles, the White Rose of Wutai managed to inch her long, nimble fingers towards her desire. Finally, she snatched one end of the loaf and quickly brought it to her mouth, her hunger overriding the pain in her wrists. She moaned from the savory taste of food.

"Oh Gawd!" she mumbled, still chewing on a huge bite of bread. "Never thought plain bread would taste so good!"

"You'll choke on that," Yazoo stated and on cue, she choked and whipped her head to see him. "See?"

"You scared me, Silver!" Yuffie whined, nibbling on the loaf innocently. "I though Sephy Jr. came back."

Yazoo arched an eyebrow in question.

"Kadaj."

"I knew that, little one," Yazoo retored sitting down in a nearby chair. "But why do you call him that?"

"I give every one nicknames," Yuffie said while she shrugged as if it was completely normal. "Reno; I call him Turkey...as well as Tseng and Elena. Rude, I call him Baldy. Rufus; I call him Prince of Brats, or brat. Cloud is Chobit because his hair looks liks a Chocobo's ass. Cid is Ol' man, Shera's Ol'maid. Let's see...Oh, Tifa is Sissy or Teef, and Vincent is Vin, Vin-Vin, or Vinnie."

"Interesting," he murmured, fiddling with the handle of Velvet Nightmare. "Valentine's the one with the four demons? Correct?"

Yuffie gulped down a bite of bread. "Yeah," she answered hesitantly. "Chaos scares me the most. Galian's okay, I guess. He's a dog demon and he's always nice to me because I pet him and give him treats. We all stay out of Hellsmaker and Gigas' way."

"Why?"

"Hellsmaker has a lust for blood as well as Chaos, but Chaos is pretty tamed, unlike Hellsmarker. When Vinnie starts morphing into him, we all run like hell. Gigas attacks anything in his way so we steer clear of him too."

"I see," Yazoo murmured, focusing more and more with the gun. There was nothing else, just complete silence. Yuffie finished her gread and sat back down, nodding off to sleep. Yazoo watched her sleep some...not helping but noticing how much more innocent she looked when she slept. A small smile tugged at his lips, but he let solemness win over.

0o0o0o0

"Do you think we oughta go and look for him?" Loz asked, much later that night. It had been five or six hours since Kadaj had left.

"No," Yazoo said, "he'll return sooner or later. Why don't you turn in? I'll keep watch tonight."

"Thanks," Loz grumbled, and trudged over where the mats were. Yazoo unsheathed Velvet Nightmare and sat down in the nimble wooden chair. Yuffie was asleep, her foreheard resting on the pipe. A roll of thunder could be heard in the distance.

_A lot of rain recently_, Yazoo thought, glancing down at the captive who only twitched in her sleep. _Is she afraid of thunderstorms?_ His answer came soon when another bright flash filled the room and a thunderous explosion could be heard. She woke up with a high pitched yelp that almost came out in a squeak.

"Oh, Gawd, not again!" she howled, tucking her chin in as if to hide from the storm. "No, no, no, no, no, no! Please!" Her pleas were drowned out with another crack from the blackened sky. Yuffie squeaked and began to whimper. Yazoo let out a small groan, rising up from his chair and walked over to her. Her back was to him, but Yazoo bent down slightly, putting a hand on her shoulder gently.

"It's just a storm," he said. "It'll pass."

"Not soon enough," Yuffie groaned.

"But it will," Yazoo assured. "All storms pass and we managed through."

Yuffie, still facing the pupe, blinked and slightly leaned her head to the side. "Are we talkin' about the same thing here?"

"We're talking about stoms, correct?" Yazoo inquired.

"...yes...," Yuffie answered unsurely, and then turned the tables on him. "Hey...Yazoo?"

"Hmm?"

"Did something happen?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he countered.

"I mean, like, something...that Kadaj did to you?"

Yazoo was taken avack, surprised by Yuffie's deduction. _Is it really that noticeable? _he pondered. _Of course,_ he scolded himself bitterly. Then, slowly, he descended down on one knee and leaned close to her ear to tell her. "Yes, little one."

"What happened?" Yuffie's throat felt dry when she asked the question.

"It was three months ago," Yazoo whispered. "Loz was scouting and found her half-dead. She had run away, hoping to make something of herself. Fate had not been so kind to her. Thirteen going on eighteen. She was very frightened. I did all that I could to make her more comfortable. I don't know why we kept her, but I tried everything in my power to keep them off for a few more days. I had thought of just letting her go, but for some reason I could not. My choice was her death wish. One night, Kadaj came and...he tried to take her, pulling her up by her hair. I told him to stop, and made a move to cease the horrible attempts on her. I failed. We had fought, and it was like I was fighting someone else, it seemed that I was fighting with my brother who was controlled by someone...and after the fight...he..." Yazoo left his sentence cold.

"And what?" Yuffie breathed.

Yazoo wetted his lips and took in a deep breath, accidently breathing in the scrent of her hair. It was the essense of fruits, flowers, and of sweet rain; it made his mouth water. "He raped her," he uttered with his throat dry, yearning for thirst. "Took her innocence, brutalizing it and shattered it...He made me watcch. Loz held me in a chokehold and everytime when I tried to close my eyes, Loz would deliever a sharp blow to my chest. It's something that scarred me as well; I lost my honor from that. What good am I if I can't even protect a child? I watched...everything...until the end."

"The end?"

"Kadaj slit her throat."

Yuffie gulped. "What was her name?"

"Niyuki."

"Bastard," Yuffie swore.

"Well, well," a cold voice, dripped with sarcasm, interjected as a flash of lighting speared the sky. "What do we have here?"

The two turned to see Kadaj, standing in the doorway, leaning casually on the wooden frame. Yazoo could tell by the glaze in Kadaj's eyes that he was drunk. But, Kadaj's murderous green eyes were fixed upon Yuffie. Yazoo saw every detail of the night when Nikuki died flash before his eyes as Kadaj approached Yuffie and Yazoo with predatory steps.

* * *

**(A/N)** CLIFFIE!!!!! Ya love 'em or ya hate 'em. Either way, ya'll have to wait until next week. Probation from Groundation. I do all my work first, then my junk. Sucks, but true. I hope this makes up from not updating sooner. Reviews, criticism, and flames are welcomed, but flames will be used to burn Castle Oblivion. So think of Zexy Zexion, Smexy Axel, Marluxia, Sora, and whoever else in that castle ya'll like. Yuffie? Yazoo? 

Yuffie: Why is it someone's always hitting on me?!?

forgiven4ever: Sympathy, and Yazoo's not hitting on you.

Yuffie: Kadaj is scaring me!

Yazoo: There, there, little one. I'm sure 4ever will make him go away...Hopefully.

::Yuffie cries::

forgiven4ever: God bless, and Happy Valentine's Day ya'll! I love you all! Don't forget to send kisses and hugs to Yazoo and Yuffie! See ya!


	8. Chapter 8

forgiven4ever, sniffing: Hi, guys...I'm back again.

Yuffie: What's wrong, 4ever? Oh, God, we haven't been flamed have we??? -fingers Conformer-

forgiven4ever: ...No...It's worse.

Yazoo: Well, what is it?

forgiven4ever: My favorite character in an anime I'm currently watching died! -starts sobbing-

Yazoo: Aw, I'm sorry, 4ever

forgiven4ever: He was cool! He was smart! He was emo! He liked sweets! I wanted to go up and cuddle him to death and give him brownies!

Yuffie: Wait a minute...is this about that detective that was killed off? -sees 4ever nods- That was a week ago.

forgiven4ever, wearing black: I'm still sad. That bastard Light...One more step and he would have been caught by awesome L...but, that would mean less episodes. -pout- Anyway; don't own, if I owned anything, I would have had Yazoo go to the Death Note world and shoot Light. Mwahahahahaha. Shout-outs to; pangpond, Yazoo IS Superior, Vampyric Nija, Shadow230, MooglesLovePancakes, and to my anonymous reviewers; ChiChi, KarenZ, and CrazyLuvah. God bless!

* * *

_**Promise**_

_It shouldn't be like this,_ Yazoo thought as his heart pounded in his ears. _No, not like this._ He watched Kadaj make his way around him and before he could stop himself, Yazoo reached out and ensnared Kadaj's wrist. This was not happening again, not on his life. It all went quiet; even the storm. Yuffie whimpered under the lustiful eyes of Kadaj. Kadaj shifted his narrowed and dark eyes over to Yazoo who still had him restrained. Silver obscurred his face, but it still did not hide those perilous eyesof his.

"Let go, _brother,_" Kadaj ordered danerously, his speech hardly slurred for someone who drank half the day away.

"Kadaj, you made a deal with Valentine," Yazoo reminded his aggressive brother bitterly. "Two weeks. It's only the second day."

"I will do as I please, Yazoo," Kadaj growled, yanking his arm out of Yazoo's grip. Before he even took two steps towards Yuffie's cowering form, Yazoo wheeled around, grabbed Kadaj's upper arm and slung him back. Kadaj's lower back smacked into the wooden table and at the impact of that caused the table to splinter and Kadaj landed square on his back, glaring up at Yazoo. Still on his back, Kadaj thrust his left leg upward and his boot connected into Yazoo's jaw. The older Remnant stumbled backwards, colliding into the counter. Yazoo's eyes widened some when Kadaj jumped back to his feet, pulling out Souba. Velvet Nightmare laid amongst the debris, right next to Kadaj's left foot.

Just then, Yazoo dove into the rubble, fumbling for his gunblade for some defense against Kadaj's two-bladed katana. Kadaj whipped around, raising Souba above his head. Yuffie gasped as he brought it down so suddenly. Yazoo's fingers had just grasped the handle of Velvet Nightmare when Kadaj brought down Souba, and flipped over onto his back and held Velvet Nightmare in front of his face with both hands in time to block the cold steel from finishing him off. Kadaj only chuckled sinisterly. Yazoo pushed Souba out of the way and fluidly got to his feet just as Kadaj countered, by thrusting his sword at Yazoo's abdomen. It shyed him only by mere inches. Taking his wrist, Yazoo yanked Kadaj towards him and smacked his head with his own. While Kadaj was still dazed, Yazoo flung his younger brother off to the side, smacking him into the wall, adjacent to the back door. Souba fell to the floor with a clattering ring. Yazoo spun around to face Kadaj, raising Velvet Nightmare. Kadaj had growled when he turned to face his brother and his eyes widened when he saw the gun. A mere moment later, Yazoo fired his weapon.

_Bang!_

Yuffie screamed, closing her eyes tight shut.

The shroud of gunsmoke wafted past Yazoo and the Remnant's cat like eyes widened in shock. He had missed! There was a bullet hole smoking by Kadaj's right ear. There was another sinster smirk as Kadaj began to approach his brother with haste. Yazoo pulled the trigger once more.

_Click!_

_Damn clip!_ he swore mentally, wishing his last bullet hit its mark. He didn't see the fist aimed for his stomach. When the impact came, Yazoo doubled over and then Kadaj threw him against the wall near the corner where Yuffie was cowering. Her hands were covering her head, her wrists crossed over and clenching bits of hair and she was whimpering and her knees quaked. Kadaj was smirking in his victory as Yazoo winced in pain for the fist was still dug deeply into his abdomen, nearly crushing his diaphragm. Yazoo kept his head bowed, seething, and then Kadaj's mouth was by his ear.

"Things would have gone a lot smoother if you hadn't interfered, dear brother," Kadaj whispered and gave a low, dark chuckle. "Last time I made you watch, how would you like it if I made you do it?"

"Kadaj, don't..." Yazoo pleaded and glanced down at Yuffie who was still cowering in the corner. "Please, it's not right—"

"What the hell do you know?!" Kadaj demanded, whacking Yazoo back against the wall and the older remnant's head made a loud thwacking sound when it hit the wall. "The only thing that matters now is that we find Mother. _That_ is it! We have the right to take what we want and destroy what we want! We have the right to do whatever we want to do, even to f— around, it doesn't matter what we do! That is the truth, Yazoo."

Yazoo's eyes flashed with anger as thoughts of that accursed night pulsed in his brain. It would not repeat itself again! What gave Kadaj that right to do whatever he wanted, screw with whoever he pleases, and kill innocents? None. This belief, this theory, Kadaj had was a lie. Niyuki's face, contorted with horror, looking up at Yazoo as her heart stopped was before him. Yazoo snapped his head to face Kadaj. He would stop those ill fated events from fullfilling tonight. Yuffie would not die in that same fate.

"No, it isn't!" he growled. The gunblade was still in his hand and before Yazoo knew it, Velvet Nightmare was slung through the air and the butt of the handle collided into Kadaj's head. Even when the younger remnant stumbled, dazed at what had happened, Yazoo did not stop. His faithful gunblade sang as it slashed through the air and a dull smack was heard each time it hit Kadaj's face, head, shoulders, and spine. Nothing was in Yazoo's mind but rage as he struck the fallen Kadaj once again. Behind him, Yuffie was whimpering and flinching every time a blow was struck. She thought that it was Yazoo being beaten to a pulp by Kadaj and Yuffie had no desire to see it.

At that moment, Loz raced into the kitchen and his mako eyes widened at the scene before him. "What the hell?" he demanded and Yazoo delivered another blow to Kadaj who just laid motionless beneath him. Loz raced to Yazoo and threw him off Kadaj harshly, and his jaw dropped at the sight of his youngest brother. Kadaj was laying on his stomach, his silver hair was splashed with blood and a black bruise was forming on his left cheek. His breathing was strained and labored for Yazoo had cracked or maybe have even broken a rib. Loz jerked his head to his other brother who was still slumped against the counter where he had threw Yazoo and then looked back at Kadaj.

"My God, you could have killed him," Loz muttered, kneeling down by Kadaj and held his younger brother's head like any other brother would do if their sibling was hurt. Loz gathered Kadaj in his arms and grunted as he straightened himself.

Yazoo gracefully picked himself up and faced his older brother. Saying nothing, Yazoo took his Velvet Nightmare in both hands and popped the butt of the gun into his palm, causing a small green ball to fall into his hands. It was a Restore Materia he had put into his gunblade the other day, after the incident with Yuffie. Without a word, he gave it to Loz. After giving Yazoo a curt nod, Loz carried the youngest remnant into the living room, and laid him upon the couch as gently as he could and began healing his more serious wounds. As he healed Kadaj, Loz pondered over what could have made Yazoo snap that way, he never had before. Looking over his shoulder, Loz tried to see what Yazoo was doing in the kitchen, but Kadaj interupted him with a soft moan of pain as the healing powers tingled upon his skin.

The gunner then turned to the young ninja who was still crouched and hiding her face. In a smooth and quick pace, he walked up behind her and fell to his knees, letting go a breath that had long been held inside him. Yuffie gave a little sob and flinched a bit at his touch, but then he settled himself closer, cautiously wrapping his arms around her shoulders to comfort her. She, thinking it was Kadaj, squirmed and wrenched in his grasp, but the arms around her shoulders stayed there. Then, she felt his mouth upon her ear.

"Sssh," Yazoo's calming voice soothed her. "It's all right. I won't let them hurt you."

Yuffie let out one final shuddering breath, letting another tear trace her cheek. _Yazoo,_ she thought with a relieved sigh. _You're all right. _Her squirming ceased and she let Yazoo hold her. Too close was that incident. If this happened only in the course of two days, what about the other twelve days? Yuffie dared not even to imagine. All she could think about now was the warm arms around her shoulders that comforted her uneasiness. Slowly, Yuffie fluttered her eyes close, and leaned back into his embrace, falling into a dreamless night, but she wasn't afraid, not while he was there.

"Thank you," she murmured, her lips barely parted to let the words pass before she succumbed to sleep. Yazoo responded with a small smile. It was the night that should have been with Niyuki, but Yazoo did something he never thought of doing and he succeeded in saving a life. She was once again safe.

* * *

**(A/N)** Ugh. Cruel Writer's Block! I think it follows me around. -jerking thumb to blue balloon with the words 'writer's block' written on it- What do you think? Anyway, I'm sorry about the short chap, but hopefully it's good. Thankies so much for my faithful readers who have been able to deal with me randomness and crazy pairings! Reviews and flames are welcome, but flames will be used to burn ya'll's prom dresses!!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Yazoo: You are cruel.

Yuffie: I dunno, that'd be kinda funny.

Yazoo: Would you think so if _your _dress is burned?

Yuffie: Yes. I hate dresses. I'd be doing a praise dance around it while it's being torched. Lol.

forgiven4ever: Well, guys? Have I passed?

Yazoo: I give you a three and a half, four, out five. I got to kick Kadaj's ass.

Yuffie: It's too short!

Writer's Block: MWAHAHAHA!!!! THAT MEANS MY EVIL PLAN IS WORKING!

forgiven4ever: NOOOOOO!!!!!!!


	9. Chapter 9

forgiven4ever: I'm baaaaaack!!

Yazoo: You sure took your time.

forgiven4ever: Well, I had to work on my Aeriroth, and my LxOC, MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK, MAN, I AIN'T KIDDIN'! Anywho; sorry it's taken _forever!_

Yazoo: You're forgiven for now.

Yuffie: Any spicy stuff or anything?

forgiven4ever: Just a little Yazfie moments for you. Thanks to all my reviewers who has made this the fic reach it's 66th review! Wow! I never thought people would like a Yazfie.

Yazoo: Must have gotten tired of Vincent, Cid, Cloud, Reno, Reeve, Rufus, Zack...-monologes-

Yuffie: I think my watch died of boredom. Onto the frickin' fic already!

forgiven4ever: Shout outs to; Yazoo IS Superior, labyrinth traveler, Kira-Kira Shiloh, MooglesLovePancakes, JingYee, Shadow230, pangpond, Vampyric Ninja, and shibara1310. And to me anonymous readers; KarenZ(Thank you so much! I think Yazfie's cute too. Also, thanks for reading me DN-fic), Golden Esmeralda(Whoa, I've converted someone into Yazfie! -cheers- Well, as you see, out of the Writer's Block alley for now. Sry it's taken me so long, hope you likey!), and to Cold Comp(Sry, it's taken a while, I hope this will be worth the wait). Thankies so much for your support! Remember, don't own, blah, blah, blah; well, you get the drift.

* * *

**_Denial_**

Yuffie twitched in her slumber, the wood panel on the side of the counter was not a comfortable thing to rest her head upon like a pillow. Groaning as she raised her head, Yuffie groggily slumped her head down to her chest with a massive headache and a crick in her neck. It had been two days since the incident with Kadaj and ever since then, Yazoo had never left the kitchen. While she slept, he watched over her, sitting deathly quiet in a nimble wooden chair, nursing his gunblade in his arms to keep the others at bay.

Loz had never tried to enter the kitchen, only when he needed some nourishment which Yazoo comply by throwing a package of beef jerky or a loaf of bread to him and that would keep Loz away for the rest of the day. Kadaj on the other hand would stand there, leaning casually against the right side of the doorframe upon entering the kitchen, fold his arms upon his chest, cross his ankles, and watch Yazoo unblinkingly. In response, Yazoo would only delicately inspect Velvet Nightmare, holding it in a slanted angle to look down the side of the barrel and then let out a huff of air upon it to blow away the imaginary dust that was on it. After what seemed like hours, Kadaj would withdraw from the kitchen, informing his brothers that he was going out and would be back in the morning. Yazoo would scoff in reply, knowing that his younger brother was trying to prove his theory of life; 'You are suprior, you got the right to do whatever you want to these humans'. Even if that was true, Yazoo did not want to do _that_. Humans may be inferior to him, but why treat them like Kadaj did? Mother had told them that they took this planet from her, and that they should be their slaves and they should rule this planet. Should the master abuse his slave so? Yazoo didn't think so.

Glancing over at the captive, Yazoo let a small smile grace his lips as he beheld Yuffie trying to return to her slumber in another, more comfortable position; her head leaned back upon the metal pipe and her left knee drawn in to her chest and her right leg stuck straight out. Not once losing his simper, Yazoo stood up from his chair and retreated into the other room for a brief moment to retrieve his grey fleece blanket from its corner and returned to the kitchen with the item draped over his left arm. Deftly, Yazoo walked over to her unsuspecting form and knelt down on his right knee before the sleeping captive. When he reached over to wrap the blanket securely around her shoulders, Yuffie stirred and murmured in her sleep. Yazoo simpered and raised his gloved right hand slowly and touched her cheek, cupping it.

"Is there hope for you yet, little one?" he questioned as he calmly and smoothly tuck a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear when she stirred once more. "The fates smiled upon you one time," he murmured, now letting his fingers thread through her silky short hair. "Will they help us once again, or stand back and laugh at our misfortunes? Why were we thrown together like this? Are we mere jesters to please the gods?"

"I dunno, but can you be a little more quiet about your psychologic thoughts?" Yuffie muttered, her eyes still closed. "I'm trying to sleep." She cursed herself when Yazoo quickly withdrew his hand and she found herself missing his touch.

"How long have you been awake?" came his voice, curt and demanding, though soft as usual.

"All night," Yuffie answered, snuggling closer to the blanket, her eyes were still closed, so all she could see is blackness, but she could feel his expressions since he was naught five inches away from her. "Your eyes are bright," she explained and took in a deep breath, smelling the scent of leather and of the man who was knelt before her. And to her surprise, she liked it. Raising her arms some to stretch them and get some circulation flowing, though it was hard with the cuffs, she felt Yazoo's hand touch her left upper arm where her pink ribbon was tied around. Yuffie let her eyebrows knit in confusion.

"What are you doing?" she questioned breathlessly, opening her stormy eyes to see her captor and savior a few inches from her face. Usually, Yuffie would look away, or try to move back, but with Yazoo, it was different. He wasn't trying to take her, or anything; just talk. She liked that about him as well. _Bad guy, remember? Shot Cloud six months ago? But...he's so different from the others. ACK! Quit thinking like that, Yuffs._

"From your wardrobe, you don't seem to be the type to wear pink," Yazoo deduced, still fiddling with the ribbon.

"It's for my friend's memory," Yuffie grumbled in her defense, shifting uncomfortably when mentioning the subject. "She died."

Yazoo tilted his head a bit in thought. "Sephiroth...am I right?" he questioned, remembering some of the stories he heard.

Tears welled up in Yuffie's eyes. "She knew she was going to die," she whispered. "She _knew_ and still went through it. That's why I admire her the most, even in death. I don't think I could ever do that."

"But you are strong, little one," Yazoo admitted to her. "In different ways, but still strong."

Slowly, and in panting huffs from crying softly, Yuffie lifted her head to him as tears cascade down her cheeks. Raising his hand slowly to her cheek, Yazoo smeared the wet trails of the tears with his thumb in an attempt to dry them away. Numbly, Yuffie just stared at the silver-haired remnant as he continue to stroke her face gently with his gloved hand. His fingers caressed every curve of her face curiously and shyly, as if afraid he would hurt her. As he continued to trace her face with his gloved fingers, he wondered how her skin would feel under his fingertips. Yuffie only downcasted her eyes when the side of his thumb grazed her lower lip accidently. It was then Yazoo noticed how close they were.

"Yazoo," Loz's voice called from the doorway. When Yazoo turned to face his older brother, Loz was glowering down at him. Immediately, Yazoo straightened and sauntered over to the table where Velvet Nightmare laid upon the surface.

"Yes?" he questioned, his fingers now barely touching the sleek handle of his weapon. Even though Loz was more understanding than Kadaj, he still tried to press his advantages onto Yuffie. That made him a potential danger to Yuffie, and Yazoo regretted it for doing this.

"Can I talk to you?" the other remnant questioned.

"Depends."

"Kadaj is out and we need to talk, Yazoo," Loz told him.

"What about?"

"The prisoner."

Yazoo's heart clenched and he lowered his eyes to the table where the gunblade laid. "And?"

Loz licked his lower lip, glancing over Yazoo's shoulder where Yuffie sat, clutching to the blanket as if it would protect her, before looking back to Yazoo. "Kadaj will not return her even when we have Mother," he whispered. "He thinks that we can use her for leverage and then kill her once we've obtained Mother. Why let her go and have her fight against us? He's not going to let her go, Yazoo."

"I appreciate you informing me of this, but why, Loz?" Yazoo queried, looking up to his older brother.

Loz smirked. "Because I know that you like the little ninja, brother."

"Not in that way, Loz," Yazoo snapped, his mako eyes glowing with frustration.

"Your actions say different, little brother," Loz teased.

"So you say," Yazoo retorted, turning his back to Loz and looking down at the small woman who have now drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

"So _you _say, little brother," Loz corrected, still smirking as he turned on his heel to retreat back into the sitting room. "So _you _say."

* * *

**(A/N) **Yeah, I know I haven't updated sooner, but lost half my junk, trojan horses, and a wasp stung my butt(I'm not kidding), sliced my thumb open, my mom's come down with a _bad_ cold, spring cleaning my room, and writer's block. Long laundry lists, but hey! I managed to get a chap out! Sry they're short, but they will get longer, promise. Thankies so much for reviewing and being so patient with me! Reviews and flames are very much welcome, but flames will be eaten by the Fire Demon Calsifer!

Calsifer: Blablablablablablablablablab!! I'm a scary fire demon!

forgiven4ever: Go suck on a log. -tosses a log- Anywho, sorry about that, just watched _Howl's Moving Castle_ and Calsifer was such a cute fire demon.

Calsifer: Fire demons are _not_ cute!

God bless!


	10. Chapter 10

forgiven4ever: Finally! I have returned!

Yuffie: You sure took your damn time.

forgiven4ever: Hell-lo! Exams? Geez...I mean, I love writing _a lot!_ But, I am human and a student. Ugh. So annoying. No worries though. I'm out of school, so now I'll devote my time to me fics. Yay!

Yazoo: I noticed that this one doesn't have that much of Yuffie and me.

forgiven4ever: Because you're right. Time to find out what's happenin' with AVALANCHE! -dodges popcorn and sodas- Sorry!

Yuffie: I hate you.

forgiven4ever: I know, but you'll love the end. Onto the fic! Shout outs to; pangpond, Kira-Kira Shiloh, MooglLovePancakes, JingYee, shibara1310, Wolf Hanyou 3, Yazoo IS Superior, Shining Carmalita(Yes! Another Yazfie lover! Sorry it's taken so long. Hope this is worth the wait), Aya-Shoru, Princess Wrench, and Tempi-chan! And to me anonymous reviewers; KarenZ(Awwie, I hope you'll love this chap! Thankies again for reviewing!), Cold Comp(This is my favorite fic, so sorry it seemed like I've abandoned it. I will never do that. I've got a sister who would ring my neck if I didn't finish it. Lol. Thankies so much for the review!), Golden Esmeralda(Awwie, thankies for the band-aid and the review. Sry it's taken so long. I'm still alive. Lol. Hope you'll like this chap.), CrazyLuvah(Sry it's taken so long! I'm a Yazfie fan at heart, I can't stay away from it. Thankies so much for the review. Hope you'll like this chap...hehehe), Next Solidad(-smiles-Never. I will never forget this story. Thankies so much for the review! I got another fan! Yay! Here's the next chap. Sry it's taken so long), Zanadaone(Here's your update and a long chappie! Thankies so much for the review!), Pirate-girl(nyuk, nyuk, nyuk; you never know. Mwahaha. Thankies so much! I've got another Yazfie lover! Yay!), and Air-Energyxxx(Maybe...lol...Thankies so much for the review and the support. And thanks for the review on End of All Things. I'll get around to that one. It's a Yazfie; can't stay away. -grin-. Hope you likey this chap!)

* * *

_**Pseudo**_

Vincent rubbed his temple from the throbbing he was receiving from his brain and his inner demons when they were bored from hearing the same rhythm the _Shera_'s engines were thrumming. The stoic gunner had taken refuge in an abandoned corridor, hunched over and rubbed small circles along his forehead. But, it did not help. No matter how hard he tried, Vincent's mind would not cease conjuring up a mental picture of Kadaj, ripping Yuffie of her innocence, brutalizing her, and wearing his impish smirk as he looked down at a bruised and crying Yuffie. Her pleas deaf to his ears as he continued to violate her.

"Hey, Vincent.Vincent? Vincent!"

The demon weilder jumped a little at the gruff sound of Cid's voice. _How long has he been there?_ Vincent swore in his mind that the pilot of _Shera_ caught him in a vunerable state.

The blond haired pilot took a long drag from his cigarette, savoring the smoky taste in his mouth before he released the grey mist from his mouth and nostrils. At the age of thirty-four, bordering on the age of thirty-five, Cid looked rough from the many years of smoking. So many times had he tried to quit, and once again was trying by cutting his usual chain-smoking routine to one cigarette every four hours. During which, everyone tried to avoid the pilot to save themselves from the wrath that boils in Cid's brain that thirsts for nicotine.

Vincent watched the pilot sighed out a puff of smoke and threw the butt of the cigarette down onto the metal floor of the small, narrow corridor before smashing it with the toe of his boot, condemning it flat. Cid then ran his brown, thick, leather gloved hand through his hair, bowing his head slightly as though a dear friend of his had died.

"Vincent?" Cid questioned after a long pregnant silence, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you think the brat will make it?"

Letting out a small soft sigh, Vincent leaned his head back against the cool metal support beam and closed his crimson eyes. "Yuffie is strong spirited," he informed Cid. "She will not be easy to break."

"You like her, ol' man?" Cid asked bluntly, his left eye twitching a little bit as he thought of young sixteen-year-old Yuffie Kisaragi with fifty-year-old Vincent Valentine who was stuck in a twenty-seven-year-old body.

Crimson met blue.

"As any to a sibling," Vincent informed him with a trace of terseness laced in his tone. "Yuffie is like our younger sister in AVALANCHE. Is she not the youngest in our party?"

"Yeah, yeah, ol' man," Cid grumbled, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Sorry about that. Jus', I ain't ever hear you defend her, or describe her like that."

"I keep my opinions of my fellow companions to myself," Vincent told him in a drawl. "I would do anything for Yuffie, as I would for Tifa, or Aeris if she were alive, as would you, would you not?"

There was a sound of rushed air escaping from the young pilot's mouth, which resulted in the sound of a scoff. "Right, I see yer point, ol' man," Cid muttered, downcasting his eyes to the floor where his cigarette laid. "Do you think this Kadaj will keep to his promise?"

Vincent turned his head to face the opposing wall, staring at it as if there was someone invisible to Cid's eye. Slowly shaking his head, Vincent closed his eyes. "No."

0o0o0o0

"There it is, Cid," Cloud announced, nodding off to the small white building below the airship. The others in the group looked down at the glass floor of the deck to see the isolated Healin Lodge that was northeast of the Chocobo Farm. "Drop me off, will you?" he requested as he turned on his heel to escape the oncoming swearwords and insults to his hair.

Ever since he heard of Yuffie's situation and of Kadaj and his gang's revival, Cloud Strife at the age of twenty-three had been worried for the youngest and most vibrant of their group as well as the rest of the group. To have one of their friends in the clutches of those remnants was unbearable to think. Without Yuffie Kisaragi, White Rose of Wutai; the group seemed incomplete. When things turned for the worst, one could almost count on Yuffie's energetic enthusiasum to outshine others. The blond haired SOLDIER walked down the corridor where the ramp and his motorcycle Fenrir would be, his cloak billowing behind him as he briskly walked. Cid was to drop him and Fenrir off at Healin Lodge and Cloud was to catch up with the party by using Fenrir. The trusty, custom made motorbike had always been useful for Cloud's need to get away or dwell on things. The rushing of the wind whipping by his ears, stinging his eyes; it was exhilarating and soothing at the same time. Cloud opened the airlock door to the ramp and stepped in to see Fenrir glinting in the dark room, ever waiting for his master.

"Hey, Chocobo!" Cloud growled at Cid's nickname for him when the pilot's voice boomed over the intercom. "Ol' Vincent has an idea! He recommends a search in the cities that surround the Gold Saucer. Maybe then, we can locate Yuffie and those bastards and know more about the hostage situation."

"Great," Cloud agreed, nodding his head once. "Check out Corel, North Corel, Junon, and Nibleheim, split up into groups of two. Cait Sith and Nanaki, you check out Nibleheim. Tifa and Barret, check out the city of Junon. And Cid and Vincent; you check out the Corels. I'll let you know how the meeting with Rufus went by PHS. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, O Great Leader," Cid grumbled through the intercom.

"We should have done this first, Cloud," Vincent's calm, montone voice came through the contraption.

Cloud only shrugged his shoulders. "Well, now we're multi-tasking. You'll be searching for their hideout, I'll be making a deal with Rufus. Any questions?" No reply came through the speaker. "Right then. Let's mosey!" Ignoring the vuglar insults to his catchphrase, Cloud approached his bike and swung his leg over Fenrir, sitting comfortably in the leather seat. As the ramp began to descend, the gears hissing in protest from lack of use and oil, Cloud smirked as he pulled out his goggles, settled them upon the bridge of his nose, and hunched over, gunning the engine to life. "Let's go, Fenrir," he murmured, and releasing the brake, Fenrir shot out of the ramp like a cannon, contasting the grey, cloudy sky.

The black and gold motorbike landed upon the dirt road with a jostling thud, but Cloud maintained his balance perfectly as the speeding Fenrir made its way up the winding dirt road that led to the peak of the mountain where Rufus and his cronies lived. After the second downfall of Sephiroth, Rufus and his four faithful Turks, Rude, Reno, Tseng, and Elena still resided at the Healin Lodge, knowing that if Rufus was to come out to take charge, people would cause an uprising and that was the last thing the President of ShinRa needed after surviving the bombing of the ShinRa building. People were still not too keen with the ShinRa Electric Power Company, hence their presence at Healin Lodge.

When he reached the crest of the mountain, Cloud reduced his speed and came to a complete stop in front of the building, turning off Fenrir's purring engine. Sighing as he reluctantly pulled off his goggles and tucking them back into his pocket, Cloud unmounted his bike, his right hand reached back to check that his sword was still secured from the impact to the earth. With a grunt, Cloud engaged the brake and began to make his way up the wooden steps wordlessly.

"You know," a jeering voice proclaimed from the top of the two flights of steps, "you should call before coming. The place is a wreck."

"Hi to you too, Reno," Cloud grumbled, walking up the last flight of steps. "Ready to get your ass kicked again? Or are you going to let me in?"

The red-headed Turk scoffed, twirling his Electro-Mag Rod, known better as EMR, in his right hand. "Depends," Reno smirked, his green eyes shining above his scar tattoos on his cheekbones, with mischief. "Whatcha want with the boss, man?"

"To talk to him," Cloud answered blandly, stepping up upon the small balcony where Reno stood proudly at his post. "It's about Yuffie."

Reno let out a sigh, and rolled his eyes as he pulled out his white carton of cigarettes. Popping the lid open with his thumb, the Turk searched his pockets for his lighter before raising the carton to his mouth and ensnared a cigarette with his straight teeth. The cancer stick had no filter, so it did not matter which end Reno smoked. "What's she done now?" he muttered, his cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth as he flicked his lighter, only managing to cause sparks to fly.

"Kadaj and his gang took her."

Reno froze, the flame that shot out of his lighter wavered. "What?" he demanded. "Dude, did you hit your head or something? They're dead."

"Listen Reno," Cloud growled as Reno completed the task of lighting his cigarette. "If you don't let me in this building in the next five seconds, I'll pitch you over this damn mountaintop. Kadaj and his gang are somehow alive and they got Yuffie. Understand?"

"Yo, man," Reno chuckled, smoke escaping from his lips. "I hear you. Let me guess, they want Jenova?"

"Yeah," Cloud grumbled. "Now let me in."

"There's one flaw with that, Blondie," Reno proclaimed, taking the intake of nicotine softly. "We don't have the Black Materia."

Cloud blinked. "What? You guys always have it."

"Not true," Reno proclaimed in their defense. "We _did_ confiscated it for three months before shipping it off to some scientists."

"Okay," Cloud sighed, raising his right hand over his head, gripping the hilt of his sword. "I didn't ask where it was; I want to talk to Rufus." With one fluid movement, Cloud whipped his sword over his head, and let the sharp edge, nearly nicking Reno's strong jawline. "Now."

"Whoa, easy, yo!" Reno yelped. "Look, Rufus is not in. All right? Happy now?"

"I just need the damn box," Cloud growled.

"I told you, we don't have Jenova!"

"What about the damn box?"

"You just want the box?"

"How long do I need to repeat myself?" Cloud hissed. "I've got to get Kadaj something to get Yuffie back before something happens to her. A pseudo Jenova, genius. Now, just get me the damn box."

0o0o0o0

"And you couldn't find anything?" Cloud inquired the rest of the members at the end of the day, securing the empty box, that was custom made for the Black Materia, compliments to the ShinRa Electric Power Company.

"Nothing," panted Barret, wiping his brow. "We combed all the places with a fine toothcomb and nada!"

"Same here," growled Cid, chewing on the filter end of his cancer stick.

"We searched high and low and asked around," Nanaki informed the leader. "No one has seen the Remnants."

Tifa's wine eyes glistened. "What are we gonna do, Cloud?" she questioned.

"Head back to the Golden Saucer and wait for a contact," Cloud mumbled, turning on his heel. _This is more difficult that I thought. _"At least we know they've been _there_."

"All right," Cid gruffly shouted, rubbing his nose with his fist and taking hold of the wheel. "Let's move!"

0o0o0o0

"We'll be heading to the Golden Saucer, and see if _Nii-san_ has obtained Mother," Kadaj informed Yazoo curtly. "You get to stay and watch the little pixie."

Yazoo nodded briefly from his position at the kitchen doorway. Behind him, Yuffie was in a light sleep, hearing everything that was being said between the brothers.

"When will you be back?" Yazoo questioned tersely.

"Sooner or later," Kadaj snapped, strapping the scabbard that held Souba to his back so that it would hang loosely by his hips. "Depends."

Loz inserted some supporting materia, remembering the brunette with an iron fist in the AVALANCHE group. She would had defeated him were it not for his teleporting ability and the brutality of Dual Hound. Quickly, the oldest of the three glanced up to see Yazoo and noticed something different about him. He was not his usual self. Loz may have not spoken much and let loose tears easier than others, but he was not a lemming.

Kadaj narrowed his eyes at Yazoo. "Can you manage?" he hissed.

"Quite," Yazoo assured in the same clipped manner.

Kadaj turned on his heel, and stalked out the door. Loz followed him with no protests and gave Yazoo one final look before exiting out of the shack. Gripping the doorway with his left hand, Yazoo waited for the roaring sound of the motorbikes that would speed off in the direction of the amusement park. The remnant had been relaying his plans over and over in his mind the previous night and came to the decision to fullfill it on this day. It had to work.

After he heard the fading engines going off in the direction of the Golden Saucer, Yazoo turned around to face Yuffie, who was still asleep in an odd position. Her arms were once again above her head and twisted into an odd angle, her legs were folded and her head was leaning back against the pipe. Swiftly, Yazoo crossed the room in three strides and knelt before the prisoner, cupping his hand on her shoulder.

"Yuffie?" he called to her softly, her name sounding foreign on his tongue as he shook her shoulder some. "Wake up. Wake up. Come on."

"I've been up, silver," Yuffie grumbled, lazily opening her stormy grey eyes. "What is it?"

"You need to be awake," Yazoo told her. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah..." Yuffie muttered groggily. "What's going on?"

"I need you to stand, little one," Yazoo requested before pulling away so that she would have enough space to complete the task. Turning to the table, Velvet Nightmare glimmered with glee as Yazoo stroke the barrel once, before seizing the handle in a gentile and delicate manner.

Yuffie stumbled to her feet, twisting herself in agonizing pain as the handcuffs gave her scorching marks on her wrists that would take forever to be rid off. The princess of Wutai swayed uncertain in her place. "What are you going to do?" she queried softly, her eyes heavy lidded from lack of sleep.

Yazoo inserted the clip into the handle and stared blankly at the doorway of the kitchen. "What I should have done a long time ago," he muttered and whirled around, his weapon at full arm's length. Yuffie's eyes widened at the sight before her. A shot rang out.

_BANG!_

0o0o0o0

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted over the noise and bustle of the crowds at the Golden Saucer. "Seen anything?"

Cloud unconsciously tightened his grasp around the black and silver box. "No, nothing," he reported. "I'll check the Chocobo races."

"I'll go with you," Tifa volunteered.

"Well, well, _Nii-san_," a cold voice called from the shadows from an alley. "Long time, no see." Cloud stiffened when he saw Kadaj and Loz step out of the darkness, the bright lights contrasting their outfits and enhanced the brightness of their mako eyes. "Have you brought Mother?" Kadaj demanded coldly.

"Where's Yuffie?" Tifa tossed back, her fists clenching, Loz flinched a bit when he heard the cracking noises of her joints popping.

"Alive," Kadaj stated coolly as before. "And she will remain so, unless you brought a fake."

"What makes you think that?" Cloud snapped, shifting his weight.

"A lot of things," Kadaj declared, his left hand on Souba. "Let me see the box."

"Give us Yuffie first!" Cloud shouted, his fingers digging into plastic of the container.

"If you don't give us Mother, she will die," Kadaj snapped, his fingers danced along the hilt of Souba. "Give me the box."

"You don't have any proof that she is alive!" Cloud proclaimed, hoping the diversion would hold until the others found them.

"You don't have proof that you have Mother either!" Kadaj bantered back. "Give me the box if you wish your little pixie to remain alive."

"Do you even have her?" Cloud questioned. "How do I even know you have her!?"

"Unless you wish to find her mangled body at your doorstep, then give us the damn box!" Kadaj shouted.

Cloud looked down at the box and then looked up at Kadaj. "Catch!" he taunted and threw the box into the arena below them.

"No!" Kadaj yelped, running to the railing to see the box laying in a pile of straw. "You'll pay for that." The remnant then unleashed Souba and prepared to assault as Cloud whipped out his sword and Tifa held up her hands, ready to attack.

0o0o0o0

Yuffie looked down at her hands that were still clasped in the handcuffs, but the chain was shot off thanks to Yazoo's gunblade. Her stormy eyes looked up at Yazoo who had placed his gun back upon the table in a solemn manner.

"W-why?" she asked, her voice quavering.

"Our mission was to find Mother," Yazoo told her. "We thought holding you as hostage might get us Mother easily. But," Yazoo turned away from her, "Kadaj has no means of returning you even after we obtain Mother. I'm just keeping our end of our bargain with Valentine. Come," he beckoned, grabbing her wrist and pulling her outside where a soft mist of rain was sprinkling down upon the earth.

There was another question on Yuffie's lips, but it failed to mouth it even when Yazoo withdrew from his pocket a summon materia and forced it into her hands. "Wh-what?" she questioned.

"Take this," Yazoo whispered, looking at their clasped hands with the materia glowing in their hands. "It will help you through, and it will fetch a great price on market, to replace your shruiken. Flee whenever you can. Understand?"

"Y-yes," Yuffie whimpered, and then looked up to see his handsome face that was glistening from the light spray that fell from the grey skys. "Why are you helping me?" she dared to ask, trembling under his gaze.

Yazoo blinked. "Because...,even if you are against us,...you should not have to go through what that girl did three months ago," he murmured and then his eyes flashed as he became serious. "Take your chance and go!" he cried. "Run and don't look back, little one. Go and regroup with your friends. I pray for your sake, you won't meet up with Kadaj or any of us again unless in battle. Go!" he shouted, releasing her hands and stepping back, waiting for her to run.

Yuffie stood rigid for a moment, her hair plastered to her cheeks and forehead. Her hands still clinging onto the summon materia. Yuffie turned on her heel, prepared to run, but then stopped suddenly, biting her lower lip as she tried to sort out everything in her mind and what was running through it at this moment. With an aggravated growl, Yuffie wheeled around to face Yazoo, who was looking at her, confused at her actions. In two strides, Yuffie retreated back to him, and when Yazoo expected a slap to the face, he recieved the exact opposite. The princess of Wutai flung her arm around his neck and pulled his head down to hers and her mouth connected to his.

Confusion and soft lips mingling with his was all Yazoo felt as he watched Yuffie kissed him fully and softly on the mouth. It was a nice feeling, her lips caressing his gently, and he felt as though he was drifting away, lost for breath. When Yuffie pulled away from her first kiss and his, she looked up into his wide eyes. A smile graced her features.

"Thanks, silver," she murmured, her breath upon his lips that still tingled from the kiss. With that, Yuffie stepped away from him and then ran off into the forest, which engulfed her in a matter of moments.

When she was long gone, Yazoo stood there in the misting rain, confused and dazed for once in his life. Raising his hand to his tingling mouth, his fingers touched his lips gently, and Yazoo let a smile sneak up on him. An experience most thrilling to him, but he could not dwell on that now. He would have to stage everything to look like she attacked him and ran off.

Dashing back into the house, Yazoo made sure he was dry, to avert suspicion, before looking for the proper utensil for the task and he found it; a sharp knife. The gunman stood before the pipe where Yuffie had been previously and knelt down before it, like he normally did, on one knee. After calculating what angle she would have aimed the knife after she would have cut the handcuffs, Yazoo poised the knife at his right side.

Looking up to the window where the grey skys greet him with the soft drops of rain, Yazoo smiled once again as he thought of Yuffie. With that thought embedded in his mind, Yazoo pierced himself with the knife and wincing from the wound, finding difficult to breathe, he fell to the floor, knowing that he would be all right as the Regen Materia did its work, glowing from his left arm. All he had to do was to wait for Kadaj and Loz to return.

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life.—"How to Save a Life" by The Fray_

* * *

**(A/N) **Hey guys, I'm back! Hope you've enjoyed the chap as much as I've enjoyed writing it. No fretting guys, this story ain't even halfway over. Doesn't the end make you all warm and fuzzy inside? -dodges a plushie- I wasn't asking you, Yuffie! Anywho; flames and reviews are very much welcome, but flames will be used to burn all the Offical Strategy Walk-throughs! Mwhahahahaha!!

Yazoo: You are definitely on something.

forgiven4ever: Send hugs and kisses to Yazoo and Yuffie! Thanks so much everyone for all the support for this fic! Luv all you guys so much. See ya'll around!

God bless!


	11. Chapter 11

forgiven4ever: I'm back!

Yuffie: About time! What happens to me?

Yazoo: Or more importantly, what happens to me? I'm the one impaled with a kitchen knife!

forgiven4ever: Gosh, that was so sweet, Yazoo, didn't know you had it in ya.

Yazoo: Can we just get on with it??

forgiven4ever: Hmm, someone did not eat his Wheaties this morning. Hokay . . . Thankies guys for all the support you gave me on the KISSING SCENE! I'm so touched! Luff you guys! God bless you all so much! Shout outs to; pangpond, labyrinth traveler, Kitty Persona, Yazoo IS Superior, MooglesLovePancakes, Remithepuppet, TifaValentine99, CaeliaDanan, pinkparis, BlueWings92, holey.FREAKIN.moley, HahaEnigma, Vampyric Ninja, and this chapter is dedicated to Kira-Kira Shiloh, who is currently in Europe and missing out. Our prayers are with you, Kira-Kira Shiloh! And to me anonymous reviewers;

Nea: Hey, thankies so much for reviewing! I really appreciate the support. God bless!

Black Samurai: Yikes, sorry it's taken so long, please don't send the Black Samurai over...I got Sissy already torturing me. lol. Thankies so much for reviewing! God bless!

Zanadaone: Awwie, thankies! I'm happy with the kiss too. Thankies again so much for reviewing. God bless!

Golden Esmeralda: Hey, thankies fo the hug! I'm very glad you liked it. I hope you like this one. It's a long one. God bless!

Chocoholic.in.Sanity: Hey, another Yazfie fan! -bombards you with plushies of Yazoo and Yuffie- I'm so happy you liked it. Thankies so much. I hope you enjoy this next one. God bless!

Next Solidad: Aw, cool! Thankies so much. I'm touched. i hope you enjoy this chap, lotsa fulff! God bless!

CrazyLuvah: Sorry, it's taken me so long. Are you still sane? Hopefully you are because here's another chapter filled with fluff. God bless and thankies so much for reviewing.

KarenZ: Gosh, thanks! I'm touched. I'm glad I chose chapter 10 than chapter 15. therwise; I wouldn't have such a fluffy chapter here. Thankies so much! God bless!

Cold Comp: Yeah, sometimes, Sissy goes up to me and wants to read some Yazfie. When I don't have any for her...she locks me to my desk until I do. Thanks, Comp, it means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. God bless!

Air-Energyxxx: Yes, Yazfie must prevail! lol. Thankies so much for reviewing. i'm glad you liked the kiss. It's kinda hard to write sometimes, since I've never been kissed, but it's so much fun to write. God bless!

Pirate-girl: awwie, thankies so much. Yeah, you're right. There needs to be more Yazfies. But, sorry I'm late with this chap and I hope you enjoy it. God bless.

Sekkaprincess: -makes way through pages and pages for fanfics- I'm here! I'm here! Currently swamped at the moment, but alive. Thankies so much for the support of Yazfie! And here's your update. Sorry it's taken so long. I'm juggling . . . six fics, helping Sissy with three of her fics, in other words, she needs me to write junk for her, and my late nights are wearing me down. It's embarrassing to have your grandma see you in bed . . . at . . . 2:00 and still want some more sleep. Ugh. Anywho, thanks again! God bless!

* * *

_**Deceit**_

Cloud never had to even break a sweat most times in battle, but when he fought Kadaj, sweat glistened his forehead. It was like fighting Sephiroth, but the one-winged angel never hesitated like Kadaj did to taunt Cloud with the twirling of Souba. Though he only did it once, it gave Cloud an excellent opening to strike. Unfortunately, Kadaj managed to repel Cloud's slashing of his sword, blocking the attack and causing the oversized sword to go off-course, striking the ground instead of its target. As he swore through clenched teeth when this happened, Cloud ducked to miss the two-bladed katana by sheer inches. Taking in another quick breath, Cloud raised his sword to block another oncoming attack. Swords clanged loudly and edge screeched upon edge, sending sparks to fly around the tow opponents as they glared into each other's Mako enhanced eyes.

Kadaj never fought this hard with so much rage. It surpassed the hatred he felt six months ago when last he fought Cloud. Maybe it was because Mother was tossed over the railing and landed in the arena below. Maybe it was because of Yuffie; not being able to break her or have his fun. No, it was Yazoo and his rebellious behavior. Ever since the incident with Niyuki three months ago, Yazoo had kept to himself a lot more than usual, until he brought Yuffie. The thought of Yuffie and Yazoo pumped Kadaj's adrenalin more. In a fury, Kadaj let wild slashes cut the air, missing his target just barely. More rage pumped in Kadaj's veins as his face screwed up with frustration and crouched to dodge a blow to his neck. A split second, or an eternity; a fatal opening at Cloud's waist and Kadaj thrust Souba into him, piercing cloth, skin, and muscle. A cruel smirk was upon Kadaj's features when Cloud's stomach clenched from the impact, a soft grunt emitted from Cloud's lips; his face flinching with pain.

"Cloud!" Tifa cried out and quickly jumped to the right to avoid a sideswipe from Loz's Dual Hound. After preforming a swift roundhouse kick, Tifa used Loz's shoulders as a springing board when he doubled over to launch herself toward Kadaj, whose back was turned to her. Twisting her body some, Tifa clamped her hands upon the young remnant's shoulders, pushing him down hard, swung her legs over her head, and sprung upwards, crumpling Kadaj to his knees.

Flipping over once, Tifa descended to the ground, landing by Cloud's side who was now leaning against the support of his most trusted sword, his handsome face now pale and drenched with cold sweat. Being quick in her decision, Tifa took Cloud's sword with her right hand, and taking Cloud's doubling over as advantage, the young barmaid ducked and wrapped her left arm around the 3rd Class SOLDIER's middle and heaved him over her shoulder. With Cloud over her left shoulder, and his sword in her right hand, Tifa saw an escape route and took it before her few seconds of freedom were up. Scaling over a nearby railing, Tifa and Cloud fell down into the next arena. After collecting Cloud and his sword, Tifa limped away, due to the heavy sword and Cloud, hoping to find her friends.

Scoffing from the arena Tifa escaped from, Kadaj let another cruel smile form upon his lips, his unnatural green eyes glowing with malice. "You just killed your little pixie!" he shouted after them, but they did not pay heed to his words yet. Loz joined his side, looking down where the box laid upon the concrete, the lid popped off and the plastic of the box was cracked, but there was no Black

Materia.

"I thought he really did have Mother," Loz muttered, his voice sad and disappointed.

Kadaj rolled his eyes. "Of course, he didn't have her, idiot," he snapped. "If he really did have her, I would have pierced his heart when there was an opening."

"So, why did you let him live?" Loz questioned and bit his lip when Kadaj shot him a glare.

"I don't want to kill him just yet," Kadaj told him with a small smirk. "It's better to let the guilt wound him first, then going for the kill."

"Guilt?" Loz asked, confused.

"The death of the pixie, of course," Kadaj growled. "Let's go. We've got a body to dispose of."

Loz said nothing, but followed his youngest brother to where their bikes were hidden in a dark alley. He may not be the brightest of the group, but he knew that in order for Kadaj to get to Yuffie, he would have to go through Yazoo. One of his brothers were going to die over Yuffie; that Loz was sure of.

When they returned to the rundown shack, everything seemed fine, completely normal. Parking his bike and smoothly swinging his leg over, Kadaj drew Souba out and let it hang by his side as he sauntered up to the door. Loz sighed, slowly parking his own bike and getting off. Leaning against his bike, Loz watched Kadaj shoved through the door. If there was going to be a life-or-death struggle before an execution, Loz was not going to watch.

Bursting through the door, Kadaj marched into the kitchen, his fingers tightening around Souba's handle. A little pixie was going to die, no matter what the circumstances. If Yazoo got in the way, Kadaj would have to try very hard not to kill him. By the way his blood was boiling, Kadaj would have to at least injure Yazoo in the most painful—

His train of thought crashed when his boot stepped on some thick liquid; crimson liquid. At a first glance, no one was in the kitchen, except the large pool of blood that ran underneath the table. Cautiously, Kadaj leaned to the right to peer around the table. There, lying on his side, his silver hair spilling over his face like a veil, and soaking in the pool of crimson laid Yazoo. If it was not for the green glow emitting from his left arm, Kadaj would have declared that he was dead. But, by the dim glowing of the Regen Materia Kadaj could tell that Yazoo's life was on a thread.

"Loz!" Kadaj yelled, walking carefully in the mess of blood to get to Yazoo's limp body. "Loz, get in here! Now!"

Stumbling some, Loz reached the doorway, and his jaw went slack. Immediately, he went for his Dual Hound and popped out a Revive Materia. As he slipped on some blood, Loz knelt down beside Yazoo and held the materia above his body. Speaking very well chosen words, Loz watched with relief as Yazoo stirred and slowly opened his soft unnatural green eyes.

"Where is she?" Kadaj demanded with hostility, his eyes narrowing upon his older brother. Knowing Yazoo, he probably let her escape on purpose, but the young remnant was not sure if his older brother would go as far as stabbing himself. But, enough of deductive reasoning, Yazoo was on the floor, bleeding, and Yuffie was no where to be found.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Loz reminded Kadaj softly. As Yazoo softly moaned in pain and tried to get up, Loz gathered Yazoo in his arms and carried him into the other room to lay him on the couch, having to catch his balance sometimes when he stepped too carelessly on the bloodstained floor. Kadaj followed Loz with a scowl twisting his face. When Loz laid Yazoo upon the couch, Kadaj moved over to the arm rest of the couch and perched himself upon it, glowering down at Yazoo's limp, but recovering, form. Loz left them momentarily to clean the mess in the kitchen, and Kadaj shot the same question at Yazoo again.

"Where is she?"

Yazoo winced as he rolled onto his back to face Kadaj fully. "I don't know," he replied truthfully, his voice, weak. "I don't know."

"What happened?" Kadaj snarled, grinding his teeth as he sheathed Souba. There was enough blood spilled for now, though it begged to be plunged through flesh and bone, but it was futile since the little pixie had flown.

"I was just giving her some bread when she stabbed me," Yazoo lied smoothly, his eyes dull and listless from the lost of blood. "She took my summon materia, I think."

"You think?" Kadaj mocked, tilting his head to the side. "How long ago was it?"

"I don't remember," Yazoo mumbled, looking away from the wrath he could see in Kadaj's eyes.

"Come now," taunted Kadaj. "You remembered your materia being stolen."

"I don't know!" Yazoo snapped, his Mako eyes glimmering with agitation. "It happened about half an hour after you left!" Another smooth lie, but another safety net for Yuffie. When he observed Kadaj standing up suddenly and sauntering to the front door, Yazoo's stomach clenched with dread and nausea. "Where are you going?"

"To find a little pixie," Kadaj bitter answered, stopping in his tracks for a moment to look over his shoulder. "Don't expect me to bring her back, brother," he forewarned before heading out the doorway.

Yazoo unconsciously licked his lips. He prayed to whatever god was out there to keep Yuffie hidden from his younger brother's keen eyes. What he did not know was that Loz was watching him, wiping his bloody hands upon a ragged dish towel that was blotted with dark red stains. Yazoo felt his older brother's presence and whipped around to face Loz with wide eyes.

Sighing, Loz leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, looking at his stained hands as if they were more important. "You let her go, didn't you?" he questioned, glancing up from his hands to see Yazoo's expression. One would miss it if they were not expecting it, but since Loz was anticipating it; he noticed that Yazoo's eyes widened just a bit in surprise. "You did, didn't you?"

There was a pregnant pause, but it confirmed Loz's suspicions. Turning his back to Yazoo, Loz retreated back into the kitchen to finish wiping up the blood. Kneeling down next to the remains of the mess, Loz took the dish towel and wiped it back and forth automatically, spreading the blood around, lost in thought.

"Just because I'm not as good as you two, doesn't mean I'm stupid, brother," he mumbled, and let a small smirk grace his lips. "Don't worry, Yazoo," he assured. "Your little ninja is stronger than she looks."

"You're not telling Kadaj?" Yazoo inquired with uncertainty, his silver eyebrows furrowing with some little confusion.

"No," came the reply from the kitchen.

"Why?" Yazoo croaked, his voice betraying him.

"She shouldn't go through what that kid went through," Loz admitted slowly and softly from his crouched position in the kitchen, letting the dish rag soak up the last bit of blood, remembering the mess he had to clean up three months ago, dark crimson liquid had covered almost the entire floor that time.

"Thank you," came a soft reply from the next room and Loz let only a small smile grace his lips.

0o0o0o0

Tifa grunted as she slowly laid Cloud on his bed. Shera then moved in and began working her magic; with some healing materia tucked under one arm, and bandages in her other. While she was tending to Cloud's wounds, Tifa sighed with remorse as she slipped back to the doorway, unnoticed, away from Cloud, her childhood friend. Bowing her head, Tifa numbly closed the door, and let the tears flow. In a matter of seconds, her face was wet with tears that streamed from her wine eyes and the only witness to this was the door and it said nothing; no words of encouragement or scolding as Tifa wiped her tears and headed to the cockpit to report to the others of Cloud's stable condition.

When she entered the cockpit, Tifa half-expected Yuffie to pounce on her with questions about Cloud. No, instead, she was greeted with violent bickering between Cid and Cait Sith. Everyone else was standing in their own corner of the cockpit, glancing at the usual spot where Yuffie would be standing, gagging or holding some sort of remedy to her head. Without Yuffie, AVALANCHE seemed so incomplete. They already had one ribbon in remembrance of one friend, and they did not want to add another one so soon for one so young.

"What's going on?" Tifa politely questioned Barret since she was close to him for she, Cloud, Barret, Marlene, and Denzel lived in the same house for two and a half years.

Barret growled. "Cait wanted to know what color should represent Yuffie so that he can send out for more ribbons," he snarled, clearly opposed to the idea.

Tifa blinked and listened into the 'discussion' going on between Cid and Cait Sith.

"You f--in' cat!" Cid swore profusely, his blue eyes blazing with fury. "You wanna nail that coffin and stick 'er in the ground, before ya even got a body?!"

"I was being sentimental," Cait nervously countered in his heavy Scottish accent.

"Sentimental?!" Cid roared, his tanned face becoming redder. "Sentimental, my ass!"

"Kadaj didn't even bring the young lassie!" Cait pointed out. "My guess is that he already done away with her before he even came!"

"_Guess!?_" Cid vociferated, his hands balled up in fists and shaking with uncontrolled rage. "Most of your 'guesses' are shit, Cait! So take your f--ing guess and shove it up your puny—"

"Enough," Vincent's cold voice cut through the heated argument easily.

Everyone turned their attention to the ex-turk, whose crimson eyes were glimmering with anger and aggravation. Cait clamped his mouth shut with his two front paws, and Cid shifted his gaze to the glass flooring as if it was more important.

"It is pointless to dwell on something as frivolous as ribbons," Vincent continued, sauntering out from his dark corner and approached the center of the cockpit. "Finding Yuffie should be our first priority."

Cid chewed his lower lip and bowed his head. Cait Sith fiddled with his paws, his head lowered shamefully. After a moment of this, Cid snapped his head up and clapped his hands loudly.

"All right!" he shouted. "Let's roll! Time to terminate some silverheads!"

No one laughed at the feeble attempt of Cid's joking, and the airship took off, hoping to locate Yuffie. What they did not know was that Yuffie was alive and well, and entering the sunny resort town of Costa del Sol.

0o0o0o0

Dragging her feet, Yuffie stumbled into the sunny town of Costa del Sol, scowling at the happy, cheerful people passing by her without as much as a second glance. Just because she was wearing muddy, damp, and torn clothing and twigs were sticking out of her hair, not to mention, slicked with grime and mud, and not revealing swimwear, and her hair slicked back with lemon juice to bleach her hair instead, she was looked down upon sometimes with disgust. This came from the female residents of the happy town. What did the public expect when she's gone through hell on earth, literally. Her ankle throbbing from all the running she had to do. It was that or be killed by some monster that had absorption for all elements, immune to physical and magical attack. Yuffie did not have a weapon and any healing materia that would greatly aid her for the first rounds of immunity. Quickly as she could, the princess of Wutai would use the summon materia Yazoo have given her and those rabid, dog-like creatures would jump out of the ground. Using that as a distraction, Yuffie would run for it—well, limp for it.

"Where's that damn inn?" Yuffie snarled to herself, looking around. It was the same as it was two and a half years ago. Entering under the bridge that led to the helicopter pad and the ship's harbor, there was a house to the left, and then the bar, and another house, a yellow bus at the end of the street that sold materia, then there was another bar, and then some wooden steps that led to the beach. The inn should be right next to the stairs, but it wasn't there anymore.

Stumbling over to the cheery, yellow bus, where the merchandise glittered in the bright sun, Yuffie growled in frustration when she spotted the man, who was in charge of the materia shop, chatting with a girl in a yellow polka dot bikini that showed a little too much.

"Hey!" she shouted rudely, causing the pair to jump. The shopkeeper stared at her confusedly, as if trying to place her in his past. Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, the man surveyed her thoroughly. Yuffie snarled, grinding her teeth in exasperation, when she spoke. "I didn't come here to be ogled at, perv."

The man looked slightly offended. "I wasn't!" he whined, not noticing the girl he was chatting up had walked away in a huff. "You just look familiar is all."

"Whatever," Yuffie grumbled, rolling her eyes. "What happened to the inn?"

"Oh," the materia shopkeeper mumbled, looking over his shoulder, glancing at the new bar where the inn used to be. "Some dude bought it a year ago and turned into a bar and an inn combined," he told her with a shrug. "It's semi-popular, but families don't go near it."

Yuffie let out a dry laugh. "You think?" she mocked. "It's a bar!"

"I hear the rooms are cheap though," the shopkeeper continued. "It's the bar that robs you of your wallet."

"Okay, that's great," Yuffie snapped. "Now, can I sell something, so I can get a room?"

"Huh? Oh, oh, yeah, sure!" he proclaimed, pulling out of his tutorial, looking back at her and flashing her a goofy smile. "Whatcha got, cutie?"

All right, the dude was in a serious need of a girl. His gushing flirting was sickening. Shoving her hand into her pocket, Yuffie sullenly pulled out the summon materia Yazoo gave her. She did not want to give it up, for it was the only thing she had that proved of his kindness. Reluctantly, Yuffie dropped the materia into the sweaty hands of the shopkeeper and watched her beloved glass ball disappear behind the counter.

"I'll give you . . . two hundred," he offered with a shrug.

Yuffie's stormy eyes narrowed. "It's worth a lot more than that," she growled. She was in no mood to get ripped off by some cheapskate.

"It looks like a regular materia," he pointed out.

"It's mastered," Yuffie informed him flatly.

"I don't know what it summons," he countered smugly. "How do I know it's not a dud?"

"Ever heard of testing it?" she asked tersely.

"Fine," the man sighed, rolling his eyes. "One thousand."

"Fifteen hundred," Yuffie snapped.

"You're pushing it, girlie," the man grumbled.

"I helped out a lot two years ago and I got paid shit!" she confronted hostilely. "You owe me!"

His eyes widened in shock when he finally remembered her. "Oh, yeah!" he cried out gleefully. "You're _that_ cutie!"

"Yeah, I'm that cutie," Yuffie snarled. "Are you gonna give me the fifteen hundred, or do I have to go to my friend Reno of the Turks?"

That crashed his barrier.

"Sure, sure," he relented frantically, searching his pocket for gil and finally produced a medium sized bag full of gil. "Here you go," he said sweetly, and Yuffie replied by snatching it out of his hand before hobbling over to the new bar and inn.

Swearing and cursing the man in every possible language, Yuffie went through the door. It was then her jaw went slack once she took in the sights around her. After begging Tifa and Aeris what happened at the Honeybee Inn, Yuffie vowed never to go into bars . . . alone, but soon the young princess overcame that little obstacle in two years. This bar and inn made Yuffie want to crawl under an unoccupied table until closing time, if there _was_ a closing time. With doubts gnawing her mind, Yuffie slowly limped to the bar counter, putting on a grimace. The bartender gave her a perverted smirk as he sauntered up to her and for some strange reason, Yuffie felt dread. Why could the perverted ones not get horny when they see a girl covered with sweat and grime? Disgusting.

"Hey, hot stuff," he greeted huskily. "What can I get ya?"

"Nothing you got to offer," Yuffie snapped.

He only chuckled. "Aw, come on," he teased with a wink. "_I_ don't play rough. I feel sorry for the poor bastard you left, though?"

This infuriated Yuffie. This guy had the gall to imply that she had intercourse out in the flipping woods? Honestly, did the man ever hear of fiends which are prone to humans for a meaty snack? Apparently not. Or if he did, he didn't think it would fit in his perverted mind.

"Yeah, I made sure there will be no legacy for him," Yuffie retorted hotly. "Now, if we're done talking about my sex life, can I get a room?"

"Will that be a room for one, then?"

"Look, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I get laid with every guy I come across!" Yuffie shouted. "Just give me a room . . . for _one!_"

"Well, sorry!" the bartender huffed, reaching down behind the counter and pulled out a small key, dangling from a plastic key chain with the numbers 6789 in blue print. "Can't blame a guy for trying to hook up with someone." He held out the key to her. "Three hundred a night."

"What?!" Yuffie yelled, her eyes blazing with fury.

"But for you, hot stuff, it's two hundred," he added with another perverted smirk.

"Gee, thanks," Yuffie said flatly, taking the key out of his hand roughly before taking out her new money bag and took out four hundred gil. After paying the man, she inquired about the location of the rooms and of course, she asked for a phone.

"Oh, didn't you hear?" he asked.

"Heard what?"

"A helicopter crashed into some major power lines, and it took out the phone lines," the bartender informed her with wide eyes.

"You're kidding," was all she could muster.

"Nope," the man confirmed.

Yuffie just let out a gush of air and stormed out of the bar area to where the bartender told her the rooms would be. At the back of the building, where the said rooms were, anger and frustration overcame her as she shoved her new key into the lock of the wooden door that bore the same numbers as her key. Nearly breaking the key when she yanked it out as she entered her new room, Yuffie did a quick look over for anything suspicious. Bed, dresser, door to the bathroom, door to closet, and a telephone perched on the dresser with a note informing customers of the phone being out. No boogie men, rapists, murderers, or silver haired—

Stopping her thoughts right then, Yuffie bowed her head slightly. No silver haired men meant no Yazoo, and Yuffie didn't want to wish that. Touching her lips softly with her fingertips, Yuffie recalled her first kiss. She remember Yazoo's confusion, but he seemed to enjoy the soft kiss as did she.

Snapping out of it, Yuffie went off into the bathroom which consisted of a toilet and a small shower, not seeing the small camera in the corner that was to the left of the door. It was time to get some muck off.

0o0o0o0

Slipping into his folded blanket, Yazoo stole a glimpse at Kadaj who wore a scowl as he slipped into his own blanket. He was furious, ready to go off at any second, because he lost the upper hand of retrieving Mother. The gunslinger settled himself and pillowed his head with his right arm, and stared up at the ceiling. Instead of falling asleep immediately like his brothers, Yazoo meditated on Yuffie, if she joined her friends of AVALANCHE or even managed to get into a town safely. As he mulled over this subject, time slowly passed and Yazoo felt his eyes go heavy and his vision blurred. A small simper crept upon his lips as he surrendered to sleep, remembering a kiss that Yuffie granted him earlier that day.

Fine sprays of water flew in the soft breeze, but that was not important to Yazoo as he faced the young Wutainese ninja, her short hair glistening with small drops of rain. Moments were an eternity, time was definitely forgotten. The sixteen-year-old sauntered up to him, shyly, but surely, with a brightness in her stormy eyes. When she stopped at arm's length, Yazoo felt compelled to hold her, just holding her would be enough.

With his hands slightly shaking, Yazoo gingerly touched her face, slowly tracing every curve. Yuffie granted him a small smile and give his fingertips fleeting light kisses when he brushed his fingers upon her lips. Her eyes shone as she looked up at him, a look of searching. Gradually descending his face to hers; noses almost touching and mingling of warm breaths. Warmth spread out from inside of him, no longer did he feel cold and alone. Yazoo then softly touched her lips with his, cupping her face.

Snapping his eyes open, Yazoo sat upright swiftly. There was a noise coming from kitchen, he was sure of it. Another soft thudding noise and a murmur from a person. Cautiously, he fingered Velvet Nightmare, ready to use it when necessary.

"Silver?"

His breath was caught in his throat when he saw the last person he expected to see at the doorway of the kitchen. Yuffie walked toward him with a light in her eyes that had Yazoo mesmerized. Nothing else was important else was important, only her. Once she reached him, Yuffie knelt down beside him and the two just stared at each other for some time before she spoke in a soft voice.

"I'm cold," she told him, rubbing her arms in a sad attempt to heat them up.

"Here," Yazoo offered, holding out his arms for her to come into. There was a heartwarming smile upon her lips as she went into his embrace and snuggled into his chest with a soft sigh. Simpering at this, Yazoo fumbled with the thin blanket and wrapped her with it, almost cocooning them. Now stroking her hair with his left hand, Yazoo admired the shine in her ebony and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss upon her head. He then felt her lips press against the underside of his chin.

"Thank you," she whispered, her breath warming his neck. Another kiss was pressed to his jaw, and Yazoo almost purred from her soft kisses that trailed from his jaw line to the corner of his mouth, and then she suddenly stop. Before he could protest to her sudden cessation, her mouth was on his. Those soft lips he recalled from earlier mingling with his once again. Instinctively, he held her closer to him, loving the feel of warmth. It should never end.

But it did. Suddenly, Yazoo felt something smacking his face, hard. His eyes flew opened and Yazoo bolted upright, his dream shattered, and almost squinted his eyes in the morning light. Above him was Kadaj, standing over him, his Mako eyes blazing an eerie green. There was a split moment of horror when Yazoo thought Kadaj figured out what really happened to Yuffie. Until, that is, when Kadaj said something that was the last thing Yazoo expected him to say.

"There is nothing we can gain from here," Kadaj told him sharply. "I want you to scout ahead for a new base. Now."

Yazoo knew better than to argue with Kadaj when he was like this. Mutely, Yazoo picked himself up, as well as his gunblade, strapping it to his back, and sauntered out of the shack, going toward his motorbike. Looking up at the sky, Yazoo could see the sun's orange rays reflecting off the trees that surrounded the small wooden house.

_Must be seven in the morning_, he deduced as he straddled his bike and started the engine. It was going to be a long day, and Yazoo thought about staying in a nearest town he was at by sundown before returning back to base.

Hours past by as Yazoo searched blindly for a new base. Caves were too invested with fiends and he had only so many bullets. Some towns were too small and would be too suspicious if someone with silver hair and wearing black stayed there. North Corel asked too many questions, and so Yazoo made a loop, heading back to base when he spotted a sign post declaring a town was nearby. It was getting late, and maybe Costa del Sol would be the best place to get a good night's sleep than the woods. The remnants of Sephiroth knew only a few places of the world of Gaia; Midgar, Forgotten City, Healin Lodge, and a couple of others, but never Costa del Sol, so Yazoo had no idea what sort of town it was.

When he reached the outskirts of the town, he curiously stopped his bike when he heard the cheerful music and laughter of humans. Yazoo parked the bike, and entered the bright town that was very popular, even at sundown. Lights were shining, almost blinding the remnant, people were laughing and shrieking from joy, and there was the sound of water crashing and rolling upon sand. Immediately, Yazoo felt out of place—which was usual for him since he had always been out of place.

_Not like this,_ he noted to himself as a group of teenagers passed by wearing—what was it again?—swimming trunks and . . . bikinis? Rolling his eyes, Yazoo looked for the inn, which was hard to locate, but there was two bars and that was strange for a town as popular as this. No inn? Confused with his surroundings, Yazoo casually strolled up to the shopkeeper that ran a materia store that resided in the back of a yellow bus, near the second bar.

Pretending to be browsing, Yazoo glanced over all the small glass balls that sat upon the few shelves behind the shopkeeper's head. Summoning, supporting, healing, and many others were up for purchase.

"Hey there!" the man greeted a bit riant. "Like what you see?"

"Perhaps," Yazoo murmured, looking at the summon materia selection once again. He did needed to get a new once, since he gave Yuffie his only one to sell. But now was not the time.

The man seemed to ascertained Yazoo's thoughts. "If you're into my fine selection of summoning materia—"

"Where's the inn?" Yazoo interrupted coldly, boring his gaze into the shopkeeper's eyes.

"T-t-there," the man stuttered, pointing to the building that was to the left of him.

Yazoo slightly bowed his head and stalked off to the inn and bar with the setting sun to his back. Once he entered the building, he was slightly appalled at the sight of drunken men and women, making complete fools of themselves. Avoiding the crowds filled with crazed laughter and obscene songs and suggestions, Yazoo made his way to the counter, sometimes tripping over someone's legs that were sticking out from underneath a table, and ordered a water. To his left was a man of thirty-five, nursing a beer, and talking to a blond that was wearing clothing that was . . . not meant for her size.

"Lady, I'm married with two kids," the man was telling her.

"And you've had a stressful day, hon," the woman cooed, brushing up against him suggestively and hiking her miniskirt higher. "I can relieve some of that stress . . . for fifty gil."

"No, lady," he told her sternly, but that didn't stopped her.

"Forty?" That skirt was going up too high.

"Not a chance," the man declined for the third time.

"Thirty?" This time it was a tug to her tight shirt.

"Well—"

"You damn home wrecker!" shouted a slurred female voice that sounded young and familiar to Yazoo. "Tryin' to break up a happy marriage with two children!"

Out of nowhere, a bob of coal black hair and milky skin caught Yazoo's eye. Whipping his head to the person who squeezed between the blonde and the man, the remnant spotted the ninja he had released yesterday, drunk and giving the prostitute a lecture.

"Do ya not care using your body like it's trash?" Yuffie demanded as she swayed and spilled some of her beer. "Ya had something sooooo beautiful and ya sold it cheap! Cheap! Cheap! My momma always said ta keep it for someone ya gonna spend yer life with . . . " she trailed off with a giggle.

With a scoff, the blonde turned on her heel and strutted off, swinging her hips. Yazoo watched Yuffie sling her arm around the man's shoulders with a goofy grin on her face.

"Well, we sure told 'er, eh?" she smiled, swaying.

In disgust, the man flung her arm off, causing her to lose her balance and slump to the floor.

"You damn whore," he hissed. "I was waiting for the right price!" With that snide insult, the man jumped off his seat and went after the blonde, hoping to get another deal.

Turning in his seat, Yazoo looked down at Yuffie, whose head was lowered and he could have sworn he heard sniffling. Feeling a twinge of guilt and sadness, Yazoo slipped off his chair and knelt down beside her, lightly touching her shoulder. Slowly, Yuffie lifted her head and turned to him. An excited gasp emitted from her lips and her eyes instantly brightened.

"Silver!" she cried out with glee, flinging herself into his arms which nearly caused him to lost his balance, and and gave him a wet kiss on his cheek. Yazoo held her by her shoulders and the small of her back as she pulled away some to face him. "At least you don't think I'm a whore," she giggled lightheartedly, then suddenly turned solemn. "I can't be a whore, I haven't screwed anyone."

A small simper was etched on his lips. "Yes, little one. What are you doing here?"

"Some moron bought the inn last year and turned it into a bar and inn," Yuffie huffed, and then started giggling and swayed a little, her heart-shaped face then turned pale. "I don't feel so well, their beer's awful. Some guy offered me some and I think he slipped me a mickey. Or I had too many. But I only drank three and a half . . . but then, I don't hold my liquor too good."

"Are you all right?" Yazoo questioned.

"I wanna go to my room," Yuffie told him childlike, slumping against him. "I don't like it here anymore. Can you take me to my room?"

"All right, little one," Yazoo whispered with a nod before gathering her in his arms. "Where is your room by the way?"

He felt Yuffie snuggled to his neck, sighing in content. "In back, key in pocket."

Slipping out of the bar and reaching the back part of the building, Yazoo asked again where her key was.

"Front pocket," Yuffie repeated groggily.

"Which one?"

"Left, . . . no, right," she mumbled.

Yazoo glanced down at her short shorts. She had four pockets in the front and he remember her having two back pockets. "You have at least four front pockets, little one."

"Lower . . . right," Yuffie muttered.

Yazoo stopped for a moment and set Yuffie down gently, still holding her close with one hand and searching her pocket with his other. Finding the key, Yazoo immediately withdrew his hand, the warmth quickly fading and saw the number for her room. Picking Yuffie up again, Yazoo made his way to the door with the numbers 6789. When he found the door, Yazoo managed to open it and carried Yuffie inside, closing the door behind him. With the heel of his right foot. Yuffie squirmed in his arms.

"Put me down! Put me down!" she yelled. "I'll hurl if you don't!"

Obediently, Yazoo let her down onto her feet and she bolted for the bathroom, clamming the door shut. He tilted his head in confusion until he heard the the sounds of regurgitation While he waited for Yuffie to come back out, Yazoo looked around the room. There was a single bed with rumpled sheets from Yuffie sleeping in them and not making up her bed. A dresser stood beside the bed with a phone perched on top. A note informed him that the telephone was out of order, and Yazoo rolled his eyes as he whipped out his cell phone to check his battery to find out he had three bars left. If there was no other phone available, Yuffie could use his to call one of her friends. He put it beside the telephone so that he would not forget.

Suddenly, Yazoo heard a whirring sound from above. Quickly, Yazoo whipped around and saw a small camera perched in the corner just left to the door, focused on him. Slightly growling, Yazoo grabbed a wooden chair that was so conveniently set against a wall by the end of the bed, and placed it under the camcorder before stepping onto it so that he could dismantle the camcorder.

"Yazoo?"

He froze for a moment. That was the first time she used his name. Yazoo looked over his shoulder to see Yuffie, slightly green, standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Yes?" he finally managed to say, pausing his fingers momentarily from their undoing.

Yuffie twiddled with her fingers nervously for a while before speaking. "Um . . . could you . . . stay the night here?" she requested. When she saw an arched eyebrow from him, she rambled on. "Um, you see, this bartender is a pervert and he keeps on bugging me and . . . last-night-he-came-in-here-in-the-middle-of-the-night-saying-he-was-checking-on-the-phone-and-well-he-scares-the-shit-out-of-me-so-can-you-please-stay?"

It took several moments for Yazoo to translate that and solemnly nodded before turning his attention back to the camera.

"What are you doing?" Yuffie shyly questioned.

"Disabling the camcorder," Yazoo answered simply, yanking out the blue wire and the light humming of the camera died. He turned to see Yuffie with her jaw hanging. "Something wrong?"

Just then, Yuffie began screaming in Wutainese, and Yazoo winced slightly at the loud volume. Once she was out of breath, Yuffie huffed and jumped into the bed, hiding herself in shame under the covers. Yesterday, after her shower, Yuffie hand washed her clothing and hung them to dry in the bathroom. Since she had no other clothing, Yuffie wandered around her room in only a short towel which occasionally slipped from time to time. That was why Yuffie lost her temper.

As she remained underneath the covers, she heard footsteps, a zipper coming undone, and the clicking of a light switch turning off.

"Good night, little one," she heard Yazoo muttered from below her.

_Below?_ She demanded herself, throwing the sheets off her head. Sure enough, beside her bed, on the floor was Yazoo resting on his own jacket as a blanket. "Hey!" she called to him and he opened his brilliant eyes that shone in the dark. "What are you doing down there?"

"There's only one bed," Yazoo pointed out.

"That has room enough for two," Yuffie countered. "Look, I'm not gonna let you sleep on the floor after all you've done. And . . . " she added with a shrug, "I trust you."

Yazoo blinked. "Why?" he asked.

"I dunno," Yuffie answered, tilting her head to the side. "It's just a gut feeling. Now, come on. Get in the bed. I don't have cooties."

Reluctantly, or unsurely would be more appropriately, Yazoo crawled into bed next to her and loved the feel of a soft pillow and mattress and warm blankets. There was a slight nudge to his right side and something soft nuzzling his neck. Yuffie had tucked her head underneath his chin and frankly, Yazoo did not mind it. Then, she pressed her lips against his throat delicately.

"Thanks, silver," she whispered into his neck, drifting off to sleep.

Yazoo let a small smile tug the corner of his mouth as he slipped his arm underneath her left shoulder and rested his hand upon her right, holding her there. He didn't care he was losing circulation to his arm, only that for once he felt warm and it was not a dream Kadaj could wake him up from.

* * *

There was light breathing, her pillow was rising up and down, and Yuffie felt warm. Stirring some, Yuffie blinked her bleary eyes to see the sight before her, Yazoo's collarbone. Raising her aching head slowly, wincing from the hangover, Yuffie smiled when she saw Yazoo's sleeping face. His expression was sincere, with no hint of sorrow Yuffie knew haunted him. Not wanting to wake him up just yet, Yuffie nestled her face in his chest, hearing his heart beating in a slow, relaxed pace. It began to lull her back to sleep.

Yazoo was in a light sleep when he felt Yuffie fall back to slumber on his chest. Opening his eyes, Yazoo almost smiled at the bob of messed up hair that stuck out in odd angles. Absentmindedly, he began stroking her arm with one finger and watched in amusement as Yuffie twitched and mumbled in protest. The remnant thought over about all what had happened and remembered what Loz said about him liking the ninja. Maybe, Yazoo did feel for her. It was so different, nothing he had ever experienced before and he rather enjoyed it.

"Yazoo?" he heard her mumble softly. "You awake?"

"Yes," Yazoo replied, glancing down at her.

"I guess that means you gotta go," Yuffie murmured, remaining completely still.

"Kadaj and Loz will be out looking for me, and I don't want them to find you," Yazoo said, and laid his head back down upon the pillow. "I shouldn't have come here," he uttered softly. "I've endangered you."

"No," Yuffie snapped, raising her head sharply, which gave her a punishing ache, but she ignored it for now. "Don't think that, please? I'm not sorry. I'm happy we met."

"Yuffie, I was one of your captors," he reminded her. "I brought you to that shack."

"Did you bring me there for Kadaj's entertainment?" she quizzed.

"What?" Yazoo demanded, moving in a way so that he was sitting against the headboard. Yuffie was now sitting on his lap, her legs on either side of him.

"Did you bring me there for Kadaj's sick entertainment?" she repeated.

"No!" Yazoo proclaimed, looking disgusted. "You were in Big Brother's group. I thought . . . I thought maybe you knew where Mother was, or we could use you for a hostage situation just to obtain Mother, but that was it."

"I know," she said with a sad smile, and then quirked an eyebrow. "Why are you so desperate to find Jenova?"

"To complete us," Yazoo told her. "Spiritually-wise. Our souls are incomplete without her."

"So, you're not whole?" Yuffie questioned and Yazoo nodded. "Without souls, you cannot go into the Lifestream," she recalled. "But Cloud told us Aeris gave you a chance to go into the Lifestream."

"Kadaj refused it, that's why we were sent back," Yazoo explained.

"Did you refused it?" Yuffie asked.

"Kadaj spoke for us."

"But did _you_ refuse?" Yuffie recited her previous question.

Yazoo was hesitant to answer this time. "Not verbally, no," he admitted. "But he is our brother and Mother speaks to him the most. She trusts him, why shouldn't we?"

Yuffie bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right, little one," Yazoo assured and glanced down at his phone. "Here," he offered, swiftly picking up his cell phone. "Call your friends," he ordered her gently. "Tell them where you are."

Swallowing thickly, Yuffie took his phone and punched in Tifa's number. She held it up to her ear, looking at Yazoo, and listened to the ringing, until Tifa picked up the phone.

"_Hello?"_

"Tifa?"

"_Yuffie!? Yuffie, is it really you?"_ she postulated urgently, stifling a sob.

"Yeah," Yuffie answered with a soft laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't contact—"

"_Hang on a sec, hon, I'm putting you on speaker,"_ Tifa informed her excitedly.

"_Kid, ya al'right?" _Cid's voice bellowed and swore loudly. _"Where the hell have ya been?"_

"Running from fiends and everything . . . I managed to bum off a guy's cell," she lied.

"_Yuffie,"_ Vincent's low, calm voice spoke up. _"Where are you?"_

"Hey, Vinnie," Yuffie greeted. "Man, ya gotta get me outta here. Costa del Sol's new inn sucks."

"_You're in Costa del Sol?"_ Tifa repeated. _"It'll take us another day, but we'll get to you Yuffs! Don't go anywhere outside of town!"_

"Thanks," Yuffie replied, holding back choked sobs. "I'll see you soon, 'kay? I gotta give this guy his cell back."

"_Bye, Yuffie!"_ Tifa cried, sounding cheerful. _"We'll get to you real soon."_

"I gotta go, bye!" Yuffie cried out loud enough for all of them to hear, before clamping the phone shut. "There," she muttered, giving Yazoo his cell phone.

"Why are you troubled?" he asked.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "To go back to my friends, I must lose one," she confessed. "And I don't want to."

"I'm your friend?" Yazoo questioned, confused.

"Yes," Yuffie nodded, looking down at her hands. "Friends help each other and care for each other. You make me feel liked and respected and. . . you listen to me." She then looked up at him, and suggested almost the impossible. "Can we still see each other somehow? And not in battle?"

"I don't know, little one," Yazoo sighed, looking away. He wanted to see Yuffie again and not in battle as well, but how? "It's risky."

Yuffie's stormy eyes then widened. "I got a harebrained idea, but it might work," Yuffie offered, taking his phone again. "I'll set your text messages from me on silent and at the end of the day you can check to see if you got a text from me. I'll only put in a location. I'll just have to hope that you'll come." She inserted in her number and listed it as a contact. She also sent his number to her phone which she left on the _Shera_ before Cid dropped her off at the Golden Saucer.

"You are pretty desperate to keep in contact with one friend," Yazoo mentioned.

There was a blush on Yuffie's face. "He's a special friend," she admitted, giving him back his phone.

Yazoo simpered, taking her hand that held his phone and planted a kiss upon her hand before taking the phone. "I need to leave, little one," he whispered.

Yuffie jumped out of the bed and picked up his jacket for him. "Here you go," she smiled, holding it out for him as he got out of bed and picked up his holster he had placed on the dresser as well.

"Thank you," Yazoo acknowledged, taking the jacket and slipped it on, strapped on Velvet Nightmare, and started to turn on his heel when Yuffie stopped him.

"Yazoo?"

"Yes?" Third time she had said his name.

Yuffie stepped up to him timidly and embraced him for a while. Pulling away some, Yuffie reached up and held his face in her hands as she pulled his head down to hers until their lips were barely touching. She was wanting to kiss him again, but a part of her also wanted him to kiss her. Yazoo seemed to read her thoughts because he pressed his lips to her. It was was a long sweet kiss, and they were reluctant to break apart, but time was slipping by and Yazoo could not endanger Yuffie anymore.

Walking out the door, Yazoo stole once last glimpse of the ninja before quietly shutting the door and snuck out of the sleeping town. He returned to the shack around late afternoon, pretending to be exhausted. When he entered the small house, Kadaj looked up at Yazoo from the armchair he was sitting in. Once again, Kadaj looked displeased for that scowl was still there and Loz was in the kitchen to escape his wrath.

"Did you find anything at all?"

Yazoo blinked only once before answering. "Nothing."

* * *

**(A/N)** Fluff, fluff! Luff fluff! We can't get enough of Yazfie moments, can we? Hope that you've enjoyed this chapter and I had so much fun with the fluff. Sorry it took so long, but was it worth it? I hope it wasn't cheezy. Okay, I had forgotten to add a lot of people, but I went back and fixed it when I jumped out of bed, thinking I had forgot some. Sorry, guys, it was 5:30 in the morning. Reviews and flames are welcomed, but remember, flames will be used to burn all male characters in the Soul Calibur series. Right, guys?

:male characters of Soul Calibur tied up at stakes:

Nightmare: Useless scum!

Astaroth: I'll strangle the life out of you!

Raphael: No! Amy needs me!

Siegfried: Okay, I'm sorry I blocked all your attacks! But really, you suck at moving your character!

forgiven4ever: Think of them, they'll need it. -unwinds PS2 controller cord and snaps it with an evil smirk-


	12. Chapter 12

::forgiven4ever sneaking in through the back door, wincing as she closes door::

forgiven4ever: Hello???? Anyone here? –looks around- I know I haven't been around lately. I was busy? Things happened? Hello? –echo- Great, no one's here and I'll just leave---

::net drops on author, trapping her::

forgiven4ever: You have _got _to be kidding me!

Shibara1310: Nope, no joke. Do you know how long your readers suffered without any Yazfie fluff??? Including me???

forgiven4ever: Well, sorry! I was busy!

Shibara1310: With what?

forgiven4ever: School, genius! Not everyone can do their schoolwork with ease! My laptop crashed, and my cat died, you know that! Also, Writer's Block has decided to hole up in my room!

Writer's Block: You know you need to find a better place to hide your chocolate.

forgiven4ever: You did not…

Writer's Block: I did.

Shibara1310: Heh, let's get on with the fic, shall we? Shout outs to; Remi16, pangpond, Yazoo IS Superior, KittyPersona, Vampyric Ninja, TifaValentine99(get her off of SC3! It's annoying!), NightShade013, sallygrimreaper, and BlueWings92!

forgiven4ever: And to me anonymous reviewers;

Cold Comp: Thankies, I love Yazfie moments too, they be so FLUFFY! I hope the ending turns out good for them too. :) God bless!

KarenZ: Yeah, you hear that Astaroth? Don't kill me. (Astaroth: Grrrrrrr.....) Look, a mutant girl with muscles! (Astaroth: -Grunt and jogs off-) Well, let's see if they meet in this chapter. I hope you like it. There's some fluff to choke on. hehehe. God bless!

Anonymous: -reads review, narrows eyes and glares at Sissy- (Sissy: hehe, kidding?) Thankies for checking out this chapter before I posted it up. Needed to make sure it was not too quick and junk like that. Sorry I yelled, I haven't had much sleep lately, I hope your Zexine drawing gets LOADS of comments. And your dark MaruMine. lol.

Next Solidad: I hope this fluff will make you weak at the knees. -wiggles eyebrows- lol. Tell me about it. There needs to be more. Hrm. Anywho, thankies for the review! God bless!

Sekkaprincess: Here's an update! Hope this will make ya melt. lol. God bless!

.Sanity: O.O;; rofl. That is funny. lol. I hope you'll love all the Yazfie moments in this chap! God bless!

Golden Esmeralda: Awwie, thankies so much, that's so sweet. I'm sorry I did not update sooner, but life does odd things. Oh, well. Hope you likey this chappie. God bless!

pirate-girl: Oh, hi! long time no hear! lol. I hope you'll enjoy the Death Note chapter and this chapter as well. :) Yazfie-babies....not a bad idea actually. lol. -bombards you with L, Eryn, Yazoo, Yuffie, LE-babies, and YAZFIE-babies plushies- hehehehe. Have fun! God bless

Lenne: So sorry. -tosses update- here ya go! Thankies and God bless!

Desperate!: Yikes, sorry. -winces- Don't kill me. Didn't know it was THAT long. lol. Well, it's finally here and I'll post up the next chap in the next week. Hopefully. God bless!

FanaticReader: AWESOME! We got another Yazfie fan, peoples! -blows horns, tosses confetti- You get Yazoo and Yuffie plushies! Thankies so much! God bless!

If you were not mentioned or replied, I am so sorry, internet can be hell, and my email is screwy. All you guys are awesome for your support and opinion of this fic! God bless you all!

P.S. Yazoo is still inbetween the friend/her man area. He's in the grey, and I can't have them friends for one chapter and lovers the next. Things take time. Be patient, please. hehe.

* * *

_**Whispers in the Dark**_

"Whaddaya mean ya wanna stay for a few nights, brat?" Cid growled as he grinded his teeth which caused the cigarette in his mouth to come apart, his senses suddenly exploded from the sudden bitterness in his mouth. Twisting his face in a sour expression, the pilot took a moment to spit out his ruined smoke. "You were the one bitchin' and moanin' to get yer ass outta here!" he reminded Yuffie who had merely suggested that the party should stay in Costa del Sol for a while.

The young shin obi cringed at the furious tone in the pilot's voice and chewed on her lower lip as she thought up a reasonable excuse. "It-it's different with friends," she protested, sounding weak in her tone. "Besides, shouldn't we, like, chill?"

"Kadaj's gang kidnapped you, put you through hell, and is planning to repossess Jenova, and you're saying we should chill?" Cloud asked sarcastically, folding his arms upon his chest. Ever since he and the rest of the group landed in Costa del Sol, Yuffie has portrayed attitude opposite of what she stated on Tifa's phone. Something was going on behind Cloud's back, and his temper was rising.

"Uh, yeah?" Yuffie replied uncertainly, suddenly aware of all the peculiar stares she was receiving from her fellow companions. "Or you could just leave me here—"

"No," Tifa interjected.

"Ain't happenin'," grunted Barret.

"Out of the question," Cloud added sternly, shaking his head. "If we're leaving you anywhere alone again, it's going to be in your highly secured bedroom in Wutai."

Yuffie's eyes widened with pure horror. "You did not tell my old man about this!" she hissed, her fists clenched tightly.

"What were we s'pose ta tell 'im?" Cid demanded with a low growl as he dug his right hand deep into his pocket to retrieve his package of cigarettes that were nearly completely crushed from Cid's temper. He was actually supposed to be quitting for Shera; but the power and the influence of nicotine was much stronger. Yuffie made a mental note to inform Shera of Cid's betrayal to their promise. "_No, Yuffie can't come right now. She's taking a long shower. Call back in three years?_"

"No," Yuffie hissed, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists. "Just don't answer my friggin' phone! He knows I have caller ID, he would have assumed I was duckin' him."

Cloud blinked in confusion. "Did you just use the word 'assume'?" he questioned.

Yuffie sighed, smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Sorry; one of those clones kept on using fancy words."

An awkward silence followed this, and Yuffie prayed that they believe her and change the subject. Soon, the slightest sound caught the most attention. Cloud shifted his weight, his buckles clinking from the sudden movement and everyone turned to him. His mako-enhanced blue eyes glimmered as he looked at the ground as though it was more interesting than the topic that was being discussed.

"There are lives at risk, Yuffie," he murmured. "We should take you to Wutai and then we will retrieve Jenova."

"Noooooo," Yuffie whined, stomping her foot once. "I don't want to go to Wutai and I bet Kadaj is pissed off like hell since I got away. He'll probably kill off everyone in my homeland."

"Yet you wish to remain here," Vincent reminded her, speaking up for the first time and it nearly caused Yuffie to jump. "Why is that?"

_Excuses, excuses; runnin' out of them!_ Yuffie screamed in her mind before tilting her head to the side with a small smile as she faced the stoic gunslinger. "The closer I am to danger; the farther I am from harm."

"This is not _Lord of the Rings,_ Yuffie," Tifa sighed, her shoulders slumped which were a sign to Yuffie that Tifa was nearing the end of her patience.

"Just one night," she downright pleaded; an embarrassing factor on the ninja's behalf. "One night is all I'm asking. I don't wanna ride the airship and I haven't been here in so long. Please? One night. You all need a rest too; I mean you worrying if I was dead or alive or raped-"

"Cloud," Tifa interjected, her wine eyes reflecting in the setting sun. She didn't want Yuffie to finish that sentence. Ever. Nights were restless while Yuffie's disappearance lingered, and if she wanted to stay one night in Costa del Sol, so be it. Yuffie did need some recuperating from her experience with Kadaj's gang. "I'll stay with her and you can take the others to get-"

"Hell, no," Cid shouted, tossing his cigarette butt to the cobblestone street, stomping on it to extinguish the burning drug. "Do ya think we were born yesterday? Leavin' you two here? What if those damn punks come here? They'll kick your pretty asses to next year!"

Tifa folded her arms upon her chest, turning her fierce glare to the pilot. "Oh, really?" she questioned with a quirk of her delicate eyebrows. This caught Cloud's attention, because of the tone Tifa was using at the moment. The swordsman knew that tone all too well; it was a tone of challenge, used in the majority of when the argument regarded to the fairer sex. If Cid had acknowledged this, he would have backed out of the subject in a heartbeat, but the pilot opened his big mouth to counter the challenge.

He had to step in. It was the only way to prevent bloodshed. "We'll stay," he blurted out the first thing that was on his mind. "For one night," he added, emphasizing the word 'one' as he glanced at Yuffie.

Yuffie's face split into a grin. "Okay!" she cried, jumping up and down, spinning round and round as she did so. Victory was hers, her lie had worked out and now she could message Yazoo and hope and pray he would come to visit. Secret friends, keeping a secret; the best kind ever to keep with each other. Yuffie stopped for a moment when she noticed that the entire party was staring strangely at her behavior.

"What!" she whined, dropping her arms to her sides.

"You all right, lassie?" Cait Sith questioned, peeking over Nanaki's wild crown of mane to make sure he was noticed by the young ninja he was asking.

"Hunky-dory!" Yuffie laughed and jumped up once more before sprinting off towards the beach past the bright yellow bus that held all sorts of goodies, like materia. She could feel confused gazes burning through her back, but it did not worry her for long. Once she knew she was out of her friends' sights, Yuffie whipped out her cell phone that Cid returned to her after giving her hair a ruffle when she reunited with her friends. It was time to put their plan to the test; Yuffie held her breath as she began her simple text.

"Yuffie?"

The young shin obi jumped out of involuntary reflex, almost dropping her phone in the process. Her friend, who was almost as close as an older sister, was peering around the yellow bus, her wine eyes shining from the bright rays of the afternoon sun.

"What are you doing back here?" Tifa inquired, walking over to Yuffie, who smoothly snapped her phone shut to prevent discovery of her secret friend.

"Just fiddling with my phone," Yuffie lied quickly in her chipper mood, pocketing her cell phone with a grin splitting her face. "Hey, Teef, wanna hit the beach?"

Tifa's face lit up, blissful to the fact that Yuffie's mood had not dampened in result of her kidnapping experience. "Sure," she said. "Just give me a minute, I got to go buy a new bathing suit." With that stated, the older woman walked towards the items shop, leaving the lithe ninja thief alone.

Slyly and as natural as possible, Yuffie whipped out her phone and resumed her text message as she walked around the bus, her attention mainly on the small screen of the cell phone as she concentrated on the precise wording, knowing that Yazoo would not understand the text language. She chewed on her tongue and held her breath as she pressed the 'send' button, transferring her message to Yazoo's phone.

After pocketing her phone once again, Yuffie glanced up to see the display shelf of the materia the seller priced the most expensive. A certain materia caught her eye; Yazoo's summoning materia that he forced into her hands before they kissed for the first time. The red materia was just there, sitting so innocently on a small plastic stand, glittering in the scorching sun.

Deftly, her nimble fingers glided upon the smooth surface before snatching up the small red glass ball. Walking away coolly, with a defiant smirk upon her lips, the White Rose of Wutai hid her newly obtained prize, in hope of returning the materia to Yazoo if they met tonight. A strange trait not found commonly in Yuffie's manner when it came to stealing materia.

Smiling some, Yuffie raised her hand to her mouth and brushed her fingers gently over her lips, causing them to tingle. Will Yazoo grant her more of those soft, innocent kisses that she craved if he meets with her tonight?

0o0o0o0

Absentmindedly polishing Velvet Nightmare after his shift of watching for anything or anyone stepping into their territory, Yazoo let himself fall into a reverie, how Yuffie made him forget everything else, how her warm breath tickled his neck when she snuggled close against him, and her kisses were sweet and soft and so foreign to him, but how he loved them.

Dreaming of her was cut short when Velvet Nightmare's shining gleam blinded Yazoo's Mako eyes momentarily, taking him away from Yuffie. It was a better thing to happen to him than him daydreaming when Kadaj strutted into the shack unexpectedly.

"Loz is on watch?" the youngest demanded and he was replied with a curt nod. "I need you to scout again. We're moving into Costa del Sol tomorrow if you cannot find a suitable base to set up in."

This perked Yazoo's interest for Yuffie could still be in Costa del Sol, along with her friends. It was not definite, but there was that slight possibility. If she still resided in Costa del Sol by the time he visit her again, he would have to tell her to evacuate the premises. "Are you sure you want to go there, Kadaj?"

"Why?" Kadaj snapped in an ill, bitter tone, suddenly turning hostile.

"I scouted that area last time, brother," Yazoo replied coolly, wiping down his gunblade once more. "It's filled with humans and bright colors. Attention would be drawn to us instantly."

"Really?" Kadaj questioned with an arched eyebrow.

"Now with _Nii-san_ and his companions hunting us," Yazoo shrugged casually. "Surely, you thought _Nii-san_ would spread word about our appearances."

Kadaj shifted his weight as he thought a while on this theory. At last, he slowly nodded in agreement. "You may be right for once, brother. There are some settlements just south of Corel. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Yazoo could only comply with a nod.

"I also need you to search around the surrounding countries again to see if our brother's group is anywhere around here," Kadaj commanded his older brother.

Yazoo inspected Velvet Nightmare, looking down the surface for nicks or scratches before sheathing his gunblade as he stood up from his chair. "Right now?" the soft spoken gunslinger inquired.

"That would be efficient," Kadaj snapped. "Just look for us in Corel when you return."

"Do I need to load my possessions onto my bike or are you taking it with you?" Yazoo questioned.

"Take your things," Kadaj ordered. "Don't want you wasting gil on those run-down, godforsaken hotels those humans run, do you?"

"No," Yazoo answered automatically.

"Now go."

Without much hesitation, Yazoo sauntered out of the shack. When Kadaj was facing his back, Yazoo let a small smile grace his lips as he gathered his blanket, some rations, his materia, and placed them on the back of his motorcycle before mounting it, and sped off into the woods. After some time of driving his bike, Yazoo stopped at a secluded spot and fumbled through his pocket to retrieve his cell phone to check if Yuffie sent him any kind of message.

Once wielding his phone, Yazoo flipped open his phone and instantly looked in the inbox of received messages. There was one, and Yazoo immediately opened it. It was from Yuffie and the message read as the following;

SAME PLACE

BEACH

Swiftly, Yazoo shoved his phone into his pocket and drove off toward the sunny resort of Costa del Sol to meet his secret friend.

0o0o0o0

Blazing colors of pink, yellow, and orange lit the sky as the setting sun waved goodbye to the inhabitants of this earth. At the beach, Yuffie and Tifa were still splashing each other with salty water. The warm water stuck to their skin and the salt stung their eyes, but their fun was cancelling out the pain and the gumminess of the water stuck on their skin. Soon, the older woman of the two acknowledged how fast night was approaching, she stepped out of the ocean.

"Come on, Yuffie!" she called.

"Coming!" Yuffie sang, bounding out of the tumbling waves, that compelled her to stay, but time was slipping away, and everyone would send out ten search parties if she didn't come into the hotel & bar any time soon. Also, there was a scheme to set up; a certain drinking game, ensuing heavy sleep, and while that was going on, Yuffie would be sneaking off to the beach in the cover of night, waiting for a certain someone. She would stay until the sun rose from her slumber if that was what it will take.

Once inside the said hotel, Yuffie boldly challenged everyone in the bar room to a drinking contest. At the slight reference to challenge; Cid, Barret, and Cloud eagerly submitted. Tifa was reluctant at first, until a patron took it personal.

"Whoever heard of a bartender who can't drink?" his roaring laughter was silenced when Tifa placed an unoccupied chair abruptly before the table and sat herself in it; her wine eyes blazing. He would soon regret challenging her.

Vincent was no where to be found, which was usual for the demon wielder and was no concern to Yuffie; he was probably sulking in his room, taking about the past, atoning for his sins, and mourning over the lost of his Lucrecia.

As the hours dragged on, Yuffie watched her fellow companions slowly slip into a drunken stupor as well as many others. Her evil plan was working and with a bold smirk Yuffie slipped out of the dimly lit bar room as her friends stumbled up to their rooms. Going out the door, the young shin obi glanced up at the clock; it read four in the early morning. Two hours before the sunrise. Biting her lower lip from nervousness, she wondered if Yazoo was waiting for her at the beach already. So, quickly, Yuffie bounded towards the dark beach with the moon lighting her path.

Once she reached the destined locations, she searched the coastline, but there was no sign of her silver haired friend. With her shoulders slumped, Yuffie wandered down to the shore, shuffling her bare feet as she did so. The air was much cooler without the blistering sun, causing Yuffie to involuntarily shiver for she was still clad in her dark green bikini, one that covered more than a usual one, but still it was not enough to be immune to frigid temperature.

Just then a large black coat sheltered her, warming her instantly and a smile formed upon her lips. Only one person she knew had a long black leather jacket; he had come.

"Silver?" she called out to him ever so softly. Her response was his cheek brushing against her soft hair.

"I'm here, little one," Yazoo assured her, wrapping his arms around her, gently rocking her. "I'm here."

"Was it difficult?" Yuffie inquired softly, leaning back, resting her head upon his bare chest. Warmth, the thrumming of his heart, and the smell of gunpowder, nearly overwhelmed her, almost soothing her to sleep.

"Not that difficult," Yazoo answered, brushing his lips over her silken hair. "He's interested in setting up a base around these parts. When do you and your friends leave?"

"Tomorrow," Yuffie replied, turning her head some, resting her cheek upon his warm chest.

"That's good," Yazoo whispered, nodding once before looking up at the sky. "So, we're here, what would you like to do?"

Yuffie tilted her head back to look up at Yazoo and smiled. "You wanna watch the sunrise? It's not as pretty as it is up in the mountains of Da Chao in Wutai, but it's still pretty."

"Then I shall watch it with you, little one," Yazoo told her, rubbing his hand along the length of her smooth arm.

Yuffie then reluctantly pulled away from Yazoo and flopped down upon the compacted sand, still damp from the high tide, and beckoned Yazoo to follow her example. She watched him sit himself down awkwardly and stared curiously ran his gloved hand across the grains of sand. Yuffie smiled at his antics and could not suppress a small laugh; Yazoo whipped his head to face her with a confused look on his face.

The shin obi chuckled as she shook her head in amusement before taking Yazoo's hand gently into her own. She then took the liberty of removing his glove and setting his hand down upon the damp sand. There was a look upon his features that reminded her of a child seeing the ocean for the first time. She watched with interest as Yazoo made small trenches with his slender fingers.

"You've never felt sand before?" Yuffie dared to ask in a tone that resembled a shy person speaking up for the first time.

"No," he answered, flickering his eyes to her and his Mako eyes locked with her stormy ones. Her skin shone similar to the color of luminescence, and her eyes sparkled. Involuntarily, Yazoo raised his bared hand to Yuffie's cheek, feeling the sensation one would feel when touching a rose petal. When Yazoo was a young child, he came across a rose bush. He never thought he would feel such softness again. He touched her face as if afraid she would break. His thumb accidentally brushed the corner of her mouth, and he took a sharp intake of breath. Yuffie slightly turned her head to his hand and placed a soft and gentle kiss upon Yazoo's thumb.

There was a light in her stormy eyes, Yazoo felt compelled to come closer; enjoying the feeling he was experiment by being lost in her eyes. Closer the two became, warmth grew more pleasantly around them as well. Lost in each other's eyes, they looked deeper into this new feeling. Breaths mingled; tingling each other's lips.

Their noses bumped; they sprang apart.

As Yazoo comforted his nose, Yuffie let out a light laugh which resulted in Yazoo looking over to her with confusion written in his eyes. Smiling, Yuffie leaned towards him, until their noses barely brushed each other. Before Yazoo could ask what was she was doing, Yuffie rubbed her nose against his. Yazoo's Mako eyes widened with even more confusion, almost jerking away from her touch, not at all used to this strange gesture, but Yuffie cupped his cheek to restrain him and gave his nose a soft kiss.

"What was that?" he questioned, smelling her sweet, warm breath.

"What?" she innocently asked.

Yazoo cupped the back of her neck to bring her face down to his level. "This," he stated and reenacted Yuffie's previous actions by rubbing the tip of his nose against hers. Yuffie giggled to his surprise and even began rubbing her nose against his.

Yazoo pulled away. "What is that?" he asked again.

Blushing some, Yuffie ducked her head. "Just something my mom and I did when I was a kid," she muttered. "It's also known as an 'Eskimo kiss'."

"Excuse me?" Yazoo inquired, his knowledge of this 'Eskimo' was minimal if not known at all. His studies never turned towards that element.

"Another civilization, another time," Yuffie told him, waving it off. "Eskimos greeted their wives by rubbing their noses to hers. At least, that's what my first nanny told me."

"Ah," was all Yazoo could say.

"Hey, Yazoo?" Yuffie questioned, leaning against his shoulder. "Have you ever had ice-cream?"

He blinked, and looked down at the bob of ebony hair. "And what brought on this query?" he questioned.

"Just a thought," Yuffie murmured, snuggling deeper into his shoulder. "So, have you?"

"I don't believe I have," he answered truthfully. "What is ice-cream?"

Yuffie sprang away from him, her eyes wide as saucers. "You've never had ice-cream?" she all but shrieked. "How can you live without it!?"

"Can you not?" Yazoo shrugged.

"No!" Yuffie emphasized, shaking her head. Then, she pounced on Yazoo, cradling his head underneath her chin. "Poor thing," she sympathized, kissing the crown of his hair. "No ice-cream ever is like going through the Apocalypse!"

"No, it isn't," Yazoo meekly argued, his voice somewhat muffled, since his mouth was pressed against Yuffie's collarbone. Her skin was smooth and soft, and smelled sweet of fruits and dew; he definitely would not mind if she kept him in that position for some time.

She laughed as she released him. "One of these days, I need to get you to try some," she vowed, shifting her body into a cross-legged sitting position. "Oh, which reminds me,…" she murmured, rummaging through her pockets. With a grin upon her face, the young ninja thief handed her secret friend his materia, a rare trait from this shin obi.

Yazoo's eyes brightened some as he was reunited with his favorite summoning materia. Smiling, he held it up, admiring the dim glow from its core. He turned to Yuffie with that smile still upon her mouth and thanked her.

"They were really helpful, but they scared the shit out of me," Yuffie confessed, biting her lower lip. To her astonishment, Yazoo simpered, wrapping both hands around the materia, concealing it from prying eyes. The warm glow became brighter within each passing moment. Parting his hands, Yazoo revealed the material's glow still emitting from his gloved hand. Throwing his arm out to its full length, a force of red light leapt from his palm and drove itself into the sand not far away from the two. Just then, a rumbling growl could be heard, and the earth trembled.

Where the small light drove itself into, something twenty times bigger than that ejected from the ground, sand sprinkling every direction. Yuffie gulped as she locked eyes with the dog-like creature which in turn snarled and snapped its teeth at Yuffie until a harsh command from Yazoo refrained it from continuing its behavior towards Yuffie.

"It feasts on fear and doubt unfortunately," Yazoo informed Yuffie, turning his face to hers. He then took her wrist into his own bare hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, before beckoning his summon to come over to them.

"It's all right," he whispered, holding out her arm for the summon to come to.

"You sure he won't chomp my arm off?" Yuffie's voice wavered some as she asked Yazoo. Her response was a soft, chuckle, and warm breath tickling her right ear.

"Answer me this; can a thief trust someone?" he countered, wrapping his left arm around her small waist.

"That's ninja thief," Yuffie corrected, her voice wavering as the creature approached them; it's hot breath licked Yuffie's hand, heating it up instantly.

Another soft chuckle came from Yazoo as he held her closer, his nose brushing against her soft hair, sometimes rubbing along the shell of her ear. "All right," he breathed into her ear. "Can a ninja thief trust someone?"

Yuffie hesitated for a while, her main focus was the creature that was now sniffing her hand which caused doubt to gnaw her insides, but there was a feeling from the very core of her soul, a glowing feeling that beheld a pulse. With every beat, that glow grew stronger.

"Yes," she uttered, her tension releasing within every second.

"You're certain?" Yazoo questioned.

Yuffie smiled. "Yes."

With that statement, Yuffie boldly reached out and ran her long fingers along the summon's beak-like nose. To her surprise, the monster's nose was smooth and cool, and felt similar to bone. This dog-like creature seemed at peace with a human touching his nose; it had even begun making low rumbling sounds deep from its chest, almost like a cat purring.

Yuffie giggled. "I think he likes me," she declared, stroking the summon's nose more confidently.

Smiling, Yazoo reached out and scratched the underside of the monster's chin. The creature in turn, tilted its head to the side so that Yazoo could scratch a certain spot.

"How long have you had them?" Yuffie inquired, still rubbing its nose.

"As long as I could remember," Yazoo answered softly, scratching his summon's throat.

"Well, I'm glad you're reunited," Yuffie muttered softly, looking over her shoulder to face him and smiled. Yazoo returned this gesture with a simper. "You shouldn't have given them to me," she whispered. "I might have damaged them; I am clumsy."

"Materia cannot take the place of a friend," Yazoo told her, shaking his head in disagreement. He then pulled his hand away from his summon, but still kept his arm outstretched. The creature sighed before disintegrating into black dust, leaving Yazoo and Yuffie alone once again.

Yuffie tried to hide her blush by ducking her head, but Yazoo prevented her by tucking his hand underneath her chin and raised her head up just so he could look deep into those stormy eyes again. Yuffie returned his gaze, her large eyes wide from wonder as Yazoo brought his face closer to hers. His warm breath fanned her face and tingled her lips. Her eyes slid shut and tilted her head some just as his soft lips touched hers.

All was forgotten, only that simple kiss was important. He began to pull away, but Yuffie whimpered some, raising her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks. It was like melting away slowly but surely.

Yazoo raised his bared hand up to her face and weaved his fingers through her short silken hair. He forgot how to breath though his lungs begged for air. The shin obi's lips were soft, though they were trembling. He cupped the back of her scalp, massaging it gently to soothe her. She began to relax, but it was short-lived when they finally parted from one another, taking in deep breaths, their noses still brushing against each other within each breath. There was a soft dim light raising from the blue horizon, the sun was waking up.

Yazoo pulled Yuffie into his lap and held her by her waist. Uncertainly, Yazoo rested his chin on her round small shoulder. Yuffie turned her head some and rested her head against Yazoo's forehead. Together, they watched the sun's rays stretch upwards, brightening the skies.

What the secret friends knew not was that in the hotel, not too far away, a man adorned in his usual red cloak was observing the two from his bedroom window with his crimson eyes.

**(A/N)** Okay, I'm sorry! I can't believe I didn't update in so long. I mean, I just got caught up with life, and I would have posted sooner, but my cat died; I raised her from a itty bitty kitten, and she got poisoned. -sniff- saddest night of me life. It was the day before Christmas Eve. Okay, moving along. My mom got me a Sony Vegas Movie Maker for Christmas and Sissy and I joined YouTube. Look up R.U.N.T.z Studios on YouTube, we're a bit new so not many vids up, and the sound's not perfect. My username there is rubicxxxcube32(Rubic's Cube productions). Sissy(founder and her name is shibara1310) has been trying to get her old vids from Windows Movie Maker on the site. Can anybody please contact me if you know how to get them up? She's got a Windows Vista Home Basic, and YouTube won't accept her vids, and if they do, they only last 0:00. Any help please?

Yuffie: Wait. So, does that mean you'll post up some Yazfie vids?

forgiven4ever: Err, maybe, I can't download any AVI files and it's a pain. Does anyone know of a site where I should be able to edit Final Fantasy and Kingdom Heart clips on Sony Vegas 9.0 Preninium Movie Studio? BlueLaguna does not work, and KHVids have been using FilesFront and they won't let me download, and Gametrailers has only so few clips. I also need Advent Children clips! I may be able to do Yazfie vids....-hopeful look-

Yazoo: Oh, God save us all, forgiven4ever let loose on YouTube.

forgiven4ever: Mwahahahah!!! God bless and Happy New Year! Remember flames and reviews are welcome, but take into consideration that flames will be used to smoke our deer meat. Yum. Oh! Oh! Wait! I have a challenge for ya'll. -evil grin- A contest of sorts about; what else? YAZFIE! Can you write a Yazfie? Do you think it's the best? Let's find out!

Rules:

1. Must be a oneshot, more than 700 words.

2. Ratings can vary, as long as there is no detailed sex scenes.

3. Yazoo can be evil, good, or whatever.

4. First place gets; -rummages through stuff- a oneshot of their ultimate favorite pairing(if its Yaoi I can only do a friendship one). Second place gets; fanart of fave character(by shibara1310), and Grand prize gets a vid of ultimate fave pairing(I might not have the clips, so you will have to help me on finding some. (: ) Good luck and God bless!


	13. Chapter 13

forgiven4ever, juggling books, laptop and camcorder: Hey, guys! I'm back!

Yazoo: Wow, sooner than expected.

Yuffie: What's with the juggling?

forgiven4ever: Just basic stuff, church, writing, school, and video graphing.

Yuffie: You don't video graph, you just take clips from different game trailers and FMVs and mesh them together. You don't even use the camcorder, you faker.

forgiven4ever, halting juggling: -shrug- Guess, you're right about that. -tosses junk-::crash:: I'm getting better on YouTube, and sissy's first vid was a success and it was only 26 seconds long! -sniff- me sad, but proud of my wittle sissy. LUV LUV SHIBI!!

Yazoo: Can you please get on with it?

forgiven4ever: Oh, right. Now onto me fave fic, but before I do; an update on the contest….COME ON GUYS!!!! ONLY THREE HAVE ENTERED! THREE! I know you guys can write! Enter, please. And a note to me anonymous reviewers; I can only suggest to sign up to fan fiction, I was going to have you guys email me, but because I have a stalker online and if he sees my email, it's only one step further to bye, bye laptop. Sorry. Now, let's give shout-outs and move along to the fic!

To me awesome readers! Hanna Aeneas Ketchum, Yazoo IS Superior, pangpond, I love yaoi, MakoStorm, Remi16, Ichigo-101, sallygrimreaper, Kelana-ti, BlueWings92, and Namine Chi!

And to me anonymous readers!

Arashi: -catches flower- Thank you so much, that's very sweet. And Snow would probably cuddle up to you in graditude if she was still here. So, yeah. Thankies again so much. Your message was sweet. God bless, Ara.

Golden Esmeralda: Thankies so much! More fluff is on the way. hehe. I wish you would enter the contest. -pouts- God bless, Esmeralda!

If I miss any of you guys, you are special too! Here have some Yazoo, Yuffie, and your fave Org. XIII member plushies! God bless you guys!

* * *

**_Serene_**

Leather and a masculine scent invaded Yuffie's senses, but she gave no attempt to draw herself away from the tingling smell. Snuggling deeper into the man's throat who held her in his arms, Yuffie let out a soft sigh and gently placed her lips on the underside of his round jaw which earn her a soft noise from his throat.

"Yuffie," Yazoo called to her attention in a breathless whisper, afraid that she was in a sweet slumber. His bared hand crept up her arm and over her small round shoulder and timidly reached up to her jaw line, caressing the curve with his slightly calloused thumb.

"The sun's well past risen," he reminded her, brushing his lips against her silken ebony hair.

"Meh, our visit was way too short," Yuffie complained, brushing her nose upon his Adam's apple. "I wish there was no such thing as time, sometimes. I just want to stay like this, silver, for a very long time."

"I wish for that as well, little one," he declared softly, his mouth passing over the crevices of her ear. "But, at least we will meet again soon, correct?"

"Yeah," Yuffie mumbled just underneath his chin. "But that will be ages!"

"The weeks will go by swiftly," Yazoo assured her, tracing her jugular with his nose, causing the muscles to shudder from the light touch. The scent of her was drugging him, and an urge to kiss her soft skin endlessly was compelling, but he did not cross that line, not without Yuffie's total trust and without her consent. He would not dishonor her.

"Liar," Yuffie muttered, her breath on his right cheek, warming it instantly. "When there's something exciting happening after a long time, it makes the weeks go by longer." She graced his cheek with a kiss before nuzzling his jaw line.

"Well, think of it this way; you'll be rewarded for your patience," Yazoo said, returning the favor of softly kissing the side of her face.

"I don't have any patience," Yuffie grumbled, slightly muffled as she spoke against his skin.

Chuckling from deep within his throat, Yazoo tucked his bared hand under her round chin and turned her face so that she may look at his face. Her eyes were shining from the ever growing light coming from the sun. Tilting his head some, Yazoo stared intently at her face, studying every curve, every glow, and every freckle.

It was then he felt a small, slender hand slide around his shoulder, and cupped his nape, slightly kneading the knots in his neck, causing him to sigh from the releasing tension. He could see her eyes flickering to his mouth for some time in a look of longing. Yazoo simpered before leaning his head down for her and encased her lips with his sweetly.

Those soft lips were the only thing on Yazoo's mind as their lips mingled and caressed each other. Holding her more tightly to him, he pressed against her mouth a little harder, she responded by producing a light noise from her throat, almost similar to purring. The hand upon his neck was kneading with more pressure, and he groaned deeply as the knot in his neck loosened pleasantly.

The young shinobi giggled with her mouth still against his, causing their mouths to tremble and tingle. Silver hair curtained their faces, tickling the apples of her cheeks and hiding them from prying eyes.

"I shall deeply miss you, little one," he whispered against the corner of her mouth before kissing it once again. "My dear friend,…my dearest friend."

Yuffie tilted her head back, looking up at the remnant with hooded eyes, a serene smile was upon her face. Yazoo cupped the back of her head, loving the feel of her silken hair between his fingers.

"Are you all right?" Yazoo asked, massaging the back of her skull.

"Mmmm," Yuffie answered, her eyes sliding close. "Just sleepy. I haven't slept at all yesterday, you know."

Yazoo chuckled lightly as he continued to massage her scalp, slowly traversing down to her nape. He was absolutely mesmerize by her skin that shone from the rising sun, giving her skin an soft orange glow, just like that time in the cave. With his free hand, Yazoo traced the contours of her face, smiling when she twitched and purred from his touch.

"Yuffie," he whispered before planting another kiss on her chin. "I have to go, little one."

The little princess of Wutai nodded solemnly with an involuntary whimper of remorse. Through her thick lashes a small tear leaked through and cascaded down her cheek. Yazoo wiped the tear away with his thumb, and gave her another soft kiss on her mouth.

"Don't cry," he implored softly against her lips. "I will come back."

"What if Kadaj does find out?" Yuffie demanded, finally realizing the danger of their secret meetings. "He'll kill you."

Shaking his head, his silver hair tickled her neck, but she gave no response to it. "He won't find out," he promised. "He won't."

"What-what about Loz?" Yuffie asked, her eyes still shut, refusing to open them. "What if he finds out?"

"He already knows," Yazoo told her, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "He won't tell. He does not want Kadaj to hurt you or me."

"H-he won't tell?" Yuffie repeated, cautiously opening her eyes.

Giving her a small smile, Yazoo reassured her with a nod, leaning forward and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine, little one," he assured her, whispering against her skin.

"Okay," Yuffie replied softly, her voice almost breaking.

"Do you wish me to carry you to your room?"

"That would be nice," Yuffie admitted, raising up her hand and rested it upon his chest where his heart laid beneath.

Taking her up in his arms, Yazoo held her close to his chest as he fluidly rose from the sandy beach. She was so small in his arms but yet she fitted so perfectly, he noted as he walked up the wooden steps, approaching the tavern. He remembered her room number and where it was located so he did not have to wake her from her light slumber.

Approaching her door, Yazoo looked down upon the small princess in his arms. She look so small and helpless, but the remnant knew much better about her strong-willed and her valor that was in her very soul.

Since the door was partially opened, he nudged the door open with his boot and Yazoo entered the room he had slept in the night before last. He inwardly chuckled at the sight of the rumpled bed, where several materia glowed dimly from the crumpled sheets.

With Yuffie still in his arms, Yazoo managed to push back the sheets and lay his little shinobi down as gently as he could upon the bed after removing her from his leather jacket. As he pulled the sheets to cover her form, materia rolled off the bed and clattered to the floor, producing single notes that sang clearly and reverberated off the walls. From this sound, Yuffie stretched and made a light noise from her throat, causing Yazoo to avert his gaze from the escaped materia and look down upon his slumbering ninja. A small smile graced his lips as the remnant lowered himself onto the bed, reaching out to brush away the flyaway hair that rested across her nose.

Leaning down to her level, Yazoo cupped her chin and let his pale lips brush against hers for a few moments before bestowing a soft goodbye kiss on her lips. His response was a soft whimper emitting from her throat and her arms wrapped around his neck, as if trying to keep him from leaving. Reluctantly, she released him and Yazoo pulled away, and looked down at Yuffie who mirrored him, the light reflected in her eyes, making her appear like she was a small angel.

"Come back soon," she pleaded, stroking the side of his face. "M'kay?"

"When you call for me, I'll come, little one," he promised, granting her another swift kiss on her forehead before retreating from the bed and headed for the door. Exiting out the door, Yazoo looked over his shoulder, gazing at the White Rose of Wutai who began to drift off into a light sleep, imprinting on her mind how bright Yazoo's aquamarine eyes shone, complimenting his silver hair before he closed the door with a soft goodbye.

0o0o0o0

Squinting in the bright light that came shining through the blinds, Yuffie yawned and stretched, her joints in her back cracked and popped, being relieved. Placing her arms over her head, Yuffie stared at the ceiling with a dreamy expression on her face. Her lips tingled from the reminisce of those kisses that made her fly. Enwrapped in this dream, Yuffie barely acknowledged the rapping noise that was produced from her door.

"Yeah,…" Yuffie sighed.

"Hey, c'mon, Yuffs," Barret's gruff and sluggish voice bellowed through the door. "We're waitin' for ya!"

"Coming!" Yuffie sang, her eyes languidly opening and reluctantly slipping out of bed, still clad in bikini and all, but gave no effort to change. Her mind was far away at this moment. Still oblivious to her attire, Yuffie pranced down the steps, and joined the rest of the AVALANCHE group at the bar who was seated at the largest table available to the group. All but Cait and Vincent were slumped at the table, their faces almost making contact with their plates, suffering from hangovers.

"Morning!" Yuffie cried, a little too cheerfully for her companions for all she received in return were grumbles. "Gawd, I'm starving! What's for breakfast?"

"Whatev'r," Cid muttered, massaging his forehead.

Cloud groggily raised his head, blinking his weary blue eyes as he finally looked a Yuffie's attire. "Yuffie, we don't have time to swim at the beach. We're leaving right after breakfast."

"Huh?" Yuffie looked down, taking in her attire. Heat started rushing up her neck as Yuffie pondered over what excuse to give Cloud.

"She went out to the beach early this morning, Cloud," Vincent uncomprehendingly stated, his crimson eyes focused on the ninja. Yuffie did not know whether to thank Vincent or retort that look he was giving her at the moment.

"Y-yeah!" Yuffie agreed, stumbling over her words. "That's it. I went for a midnight swim."

"Oh," Cloud simply returned, blinking dully as he lowered his head again. "M'kay."

Around noon, all had boarded the Shera and were heading out to where Jenova was last reported in, which was located somewhere in Junon, compliments of Cloud's persuasion to get Reno tell them where to look for the scientists. When I say, persuasion, I mean Cloud threatening to castrate Reno.

Whilst everyone else settled down, dozing off in their bedrooms, or falling asleep at the wheel of the airship, Yuffie was doubled over in the hallway, clutching her middle and gagging, tasting bile at the back of her throat. Leave it to her once again to consume eggs before going up in the _Shera_. Her sight was slightly blurred, and her definition of balance was off. All this prevented her from noticing Vincent approach her.

"Yuffie," his suave, yet deep voice called out to the youngest member of AVALANCHE.

Raising her head at the sound of his voice, Yuffie groaned, waving her right hand at him as a warning that she was sick. Vincent took heed of the advice and took one step back.

"Wha izzit, Vinny?" Yuffie questioned, her voice slurred.

"What were you doing on the beach with a man?"

That inquiry resulted in Yuffie joints to completely stiffen. Did Vincent find out that the man was Yazoo?

_Damn that vampire and his nocturnal habits! _Yuffie cursed as she dared to look up at Vincent's face. "Uh, what guy?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"The man who was holding you when the sun rose this morning," Vincent dead panned.

"Oh, _that_dude," Yuffie laughed, trying not to sound nervous or relieved that Vincent did not realize that it was Yazoo. "Yeah, that was the guy who lent me his cell phone so I could call you. Well, he and I clicked and we went on a little date together." She ended the explanation with one of her face splitting grins. It was not actually a lie, so Yuffie didn't feel too bad about that.

"You went to the beach in the middle of the night with a man who you are never going to see again?" Vincent queried with a simple tilt of his head.

"We're gonna be text pals," Yuffie declared on her defense and nearly faltered when Vincent gave her a blank stare. "Yeah, nice talking to you too, Vince. Now, I'd love to continue chatting, but I gotta go…" Something was rushing up her throat as she spoke. "Hurl!" she exclaimed as she bolted for the bathroom, leaving Vincent alone and confused.

0o0o0o0

Loz drummed his fingers on the counter in the new kitchen of the run-down house in Coral, chewing his lip as he waited for his brothers to return. Silently, he prayed that Yazoo would return before Kadaj so that he may interrogate his younger brother. Yazoo was told to scout, but Loz noticed the gunslinger messing with his cell phone. Yazoo _never_ played with his cell phone. So, naturally, Loz came to the conclusion that Yazoo was most likely seeing his little ninja.

_Tap….tap, tap….tap, tap, tap….tap…tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap….tap!_

"Where is he?" Loz demanded himself, looking out the window, hoping to see Yazoo driving past.

"Who?"

Loz immediately jumped at the sound of his younger brother, but relieved it was Yazoo rather than Kadaj.

"What took you so long?" Loz rounded on him.

Yazoo blinked only once before replying. "I had to inquire thirteen humans where the location of this house was, because Kadaj failed to give me directions."

"No!" Loz hissed. "I mean," he paused for a moment to look around before finishing his sentence. "What took you so long from visiting _her?_"

"I spent most of the time driving, Loz," Yazoo retorted in a flat tone.

Loz rolled his eyes. "Was she that good?" he bluntly inquired.

Yazoo quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

There was a weird light in Loz's eyes. "Did you slip her the tongue?"

"_What?_"

"Guess you didn't get very far, did you?"

"I don't think that is of your concern," Yazoo snapped, shifting his balance on his right foot before brushing past his older brother to enter the kitchen so that he may retrieve a glass of water.

"Come on, you must have done _something,_" Loz hounded him, turning about face, watching Yazoo getting himself a glass from one of the cabinets. "No tonguing? No touching? What kind of night is that? Boring."

"Actually, we watched the sunrise, Loz," Yazoo muttered, turning on the tap to fill the glass. Confusion then etched his face. "What is 'tonguing'?"

Oh, he had to ask. Curiosity burned in his mind. Little did Yazoo know what effect would take place after this discussion.

Loz blinked once before smacking his forehead. "Oh, right. You never had an intimate relationship before." Finishing his sentence, Loz looked up at the ceiling with a lazy grin on his face. "Tonguing is a kiss where tongues are involved. Both partners slip their tongues in the other one's mouth," he explicated.

Yazoo's eyes widened with shock, no words could counter this explanation, all except one; "Oh."

"Mmmm-hmm," Loz grinned, closing his aquamarine eyes for reminisces of those intense kisses he had shared with many women. "Best thing ever thought of," he stated, and then tilted his head. "Well, that and-"

"Do we have anything to eat?" Yazoo interjected, not wanting Loz to even think about finishing that sentence.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Loz replied. "Some honey, bread, and milk." After seeing Yazoo's expression, he clarified. "Corel's market is not really big."

Suddenly, the front door slammed shut, and both brothers whipped around to find the youngest of the trio leaning against the door, his silver hair obscuring his face, his arms crossed over his chest. There was an ominous air about him, the kind that warded men away, but Yazoo and Loz had no where to go.

"So," Kadaj spoke up, breaking the silence as he raised his glinting eyes up at Yazoo. "You've finally returned, brother."

"As you see," Yazoo simply returned.

"And did you find our beloved brother's group?"

"No, I did not," Yazoo lied, his voice nonchalant.

"Shame," Kadaj murmured flatly, walking towards his brothers. "I guess that was just a waste of time then."

"Apparently," Yazoo retorted.

Kadaj simpered before snapping at Loz. "Get me the map," he ordered.

Loz complied by whipping out the map from his back pocket. With the map in hand, Loz retreated over to the small grubby coffee table and set it down gently upon it. Kadaj seated himself on the couch in front of it, and the other Remnants followed his example on the opposing couch.

"Now, let's discuss the possibilities where Mother could be," Kadaj suggested, leaning forward to view the map. "Midgar, Junon, Woodlands Area, Northern Crater, and Nibelheim are the best places to search. So, come morning, we're traveling to Nibelheim, is that clear?"

"So, we're most likely to come across Brother's group and ShinRa scientists?" Yazoo questioned.

Kadaj merely raised his head, his unique eyes glaring at his brother. "Yes, we are most likely to come across them."

It continued in that vein for half an hour. Yazoo could only feel relief after their little meeting was over.

Night grew steadfast as the three Remnants readied themselves for bed. Wrapping the fleece blanket over his shoulders and settled himself deep into it, drifting, succumbing to slumber. But reminisces of the previous conversation with Loz, prevented Yazoo to sleep peacefully.

"_Did you slip her the tongue?"_

What was it like? Was it like how Loz described it? These questions were Yazoo's forethought as he finally surrendered to sleep.

She was in his arms, warm and pliant. Stars were literally dancing in her stormy eyes, her skin, her flawless skin dappled with freckles shone in the dim light.

Compelled by a sudden urge to kiss her senseless, Yazoo drew his face down to her level, brushed his nose along hers before covering her mouth with his. Feeling her soft lips mingling with his, Yazoo held her tighter to him. His thumb smoothed over her velvet back where he held her by her waist this caused the young shin obi to shiver, and Yazoo felt her lips part, and he pondered what to do for a brief moment before timidly taking the liberty of probing his tongue along Yuffie's supple lips.

It was then Yuffie moaned and pressed herself closer to Yazoo, causing him to accidentally slip his tongue into her mouth. It was unlike anything he could imagine. Her taste consisted of milk, honey, and sugar. Her tongue slid along his, and he forgot everything else. He barely acknowledged one of his hands traversing down the column of her neck, mapping her collarbone, and dared to travel down further, thinking he would soon reach her neckline. Lower he traveled, and only felt more skin. That was when he realized her lack of clothing.

Immediately, Yazoo awoke with a start, slightly heated and a bit disgusted with himself for dreaming such things. It was partially Loz's fault for even mentioning those things. That was not the only strange thing Yazoo found out. He also found his thumb in his mouth. With a groan, Yazoo took it out of his mouth and picked himself off the floor.

Stumbling to the kitchen, Yazoo rubbed his forehead to be rid of those forbidden thoughts that corrupted his mind. He sought for a glass and once he located it, he brought it to the sink and filled it up with water. Instead of drinking the liquid, Yazoo swung his arm upward, causing the clear fluid to soar out of the glass and smack him in the face, drenching him.

With his face not flushed anymore, Yazoo returned to his blanket, resuming his previous position. Finally, he managed to drift back to slumber, remembering the night he spent with Yuffie. With a smile, he remembered that night with Yuffie.

The sun was rising and Yazoo and Yuffie were sitting on the shoreline, he was holding Yuffie in his lap and had rested his chin on her small shoulder. Her hands were holding his, and her face was nestled against his.

* * *

**(A/N) **Yes, I am still alive. I'm sorry if the fic is a bit rushed, I'm cramming a lot of stuff. I've just had some writer's block and doing vids for contests. They be fun. lol.

God bless you guys and happy late valentine's day! -MWAH!-

So, technically, R.U.N.T.z Studios is up and running. My vids put us to shame and shibara1310 had to save my ass by posting her 26 second vid. -sniff- me so ashamed, but I am getting better. Yay. Also, I got bored and made a Fruits Basket vid…sort of.

Yazoo: Is there actually a point in this author's note?

forgiven4ever: -shifts eyes- Okay, okay, I'm advertising; guilty. Now you know, please watch R.U.N.T.z Studios vids! It will make me happy….-puppy eyes-

Find this on YouTube; Fruits Fantasy; Genesis' Hair for funny stuff!

God bless you guys.


	14. Chapter 14

Yuffie: Am I dreaming?

Yazoo: I don't think you are.

Yuffie: I must be.

::Yazoo pinches Yuffie::

Yuffie: OW!

forgiven4ever: Yep! It's no illusion! Sorry for the wait! I have returned once again because I'm in a Yazfie mood overload!

Yuffie: I think she's gone nuts!

forgiven4ever: No, I haven't.

Yazoo: I wonder what's got her in this mood?

forgiven4ever: I'm made a Yazfie vid for a contest on YouTube on March 31st and it's dedicated to all of my friends and reviewers here on fanfiction! If I had forgotten your name, please PM me and I will immediately correct it.

Yuffie&Yazoo: _SHE'S GONE NUTS!!!!!_

forgiven4ever: Maybe I have…-insert wicked laughter here- Okay! Shout-outs granted to all my readers. You guys have been loyal to this pairing and because of your support, you have made Yazfie possible. Thank you all so much. -mwah!-

This is to everyone who gets distracted in battles very easily. I do it all the time.

_**Clandestine Messages**_

Sweet kisses was laid upon her chin, mouth, cheek, and warm breath tickled her face. She memorized every detail in his Mako enhanced eyes and his unique pupils that made her think of her cats at home. His lips were a whisper on her cheek, murmuring sweet nothings and tightened his hold on her waist. Now, Yazoo had pulled away and was touching the apples of Yuffie's cheeks and traced the column of her neck; his mouth timidly followed in pursuit. Then---

"Yuffie! Look out!"

"Huh?" Yuffie snapped out of her reverie, and drew her mind back to the present which was in the midst of a battle in the forests of Junon. Unfortunately, Yuffie did not react fast enough when one of the Cappawires directed its attack named Grand Spark towards her.

"Ouch!" she cried out, flinging her arm that was hit in a vain attempt to soothe it. "Ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"Ya damn brat!" Cid gruffly shouted, deflecting another attack from the other Cappawire with his Venus Gospel, twirling it between his hands. "Ya wanna get f---ing killed?!"

"Shut up, ya ol' man!" Yuffie reproached, pirouetting her Conformer in her right hand.

"Go! Go!" Tifa encouraged, deploying her Cure2 Materia for Yuffie after noticing the young shinobi's depleting health.

"What?" Yuffie demanded, not aware that it was her opening to attack.

"You f--in' idiot!" Cid swore at Yuffie as one of the three Cappawire launched Grand Spark towards the pilot. "Dammit! Your f---in' Doom of Living, Landscaper, Bloodfest, All Creation, or Gauntlet! Something!"

Yuffie's mind went blank and the first thing that came to her mind was Gauntlet. To think of Gauntlet, her mind wandered to her Remnant's choice of weapon; a gunblade. Glimmering in the dimmest of lights just like his silver curtain of hair.

"Yuffie!"

"All right!" Yuffie screamed, taking off in a sprint towards the three Cappawires.

Twirling her Conformer, the lithe princess let out a cry as she slashed at one Cappawire, running one of the blades of her shruiken clean through the small, but yet deadly creature. Pivoting on her left foot, Yuffie suddenly changed direction and charged into the other Cappawire, shoving her weapon deep into its spine and piercing its heart. Turning on her right foot, Yuffie let out another cry as she threw her favorite weapon towards the last of the Cappawires, watching it decapitate the creature and Conformer whistled through the air as it boomeranged back to its owner's awaiting hand.

Instead of cheers and a pat on her back, she received glares from some of the members and looks of disappointment. It was then Yuffie realized Tifa was clutching her left arm, wincing from the pain. Cid was bleeding at his side, limp from the wound he had received from one of the Cappawires.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, bowing her head in shame.

"What the hell…happened, brat?" Cid demanded with a wince, clutching his side. "You almost got us killed!"

Yuffie shrugged. "Got distracted…I guess," she murmured, her head still bowed.

"You guess?" Cloud repeated, with a cocked blond eyebrow. "Yuffie, we're low on magic points and supplies as it is. We can't afford to have one of us knocked out."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It won't happen again." _Save your daydreams for night, you idiot,_ she mentally added scornfully. It was nice to daydream about something as wonderful as that night in Costa de Sol with Yazoo, or something from the depths of her mind, but dangerous to daydream during a life and death situation.

"I promise, guys!" Yuffie whined, raising her head up when she was given no response.

"You don't need to scream, we heard you," Cid mumbled, scratching the back of his head with his free hand.

"We better get a move on," Barret gruffly spoke up, flexing his metallic hand. "We'll make it to Junon by sundown at the least."

"They close the gates at sundown though," Tifa reminded the bulky man calmly.

"Damn," Cid swore, strapping Venus Gospel to his back. "We'll never make it with the rate these monsters keep coming at us."

"There's got to be a better way," muttered Cloud, rubbing the back of his head.

"We can go back to the _Shera _and dock at Junon," Yuffie suggested.

"Are you f---ing kidding me?" Cid yelled, scratching at his newly healed wound. "At the rate they charge to dock there, I'd rather face the monsters!"

"I agree with the young lass!" Cait Sith declared, jumping up and down. "It's better than getting locked out of Junon with the monsters at night!"

"How do you suppose we pay the f-ing toll?" growled Cid. The pilot always tight when it came to money; he hated to spend it.

Suddenly, Cait Sith stiffened his metal joints and the ShinRa's Executive Reeve's voice emitted from the robot's mouth.

"Just have them put it in my account, I shall see to it," Reeve's voice assured them. "I would hate my fellow companions to be mauled to death by some monsters."

"What if they don't believe us?" Cloud questioned, sliding one of his swords back into its sheath upon his back. "They won't just take our word for it."

"I shall call ahead and tell them to expect you," Cait Sith waved his white hand carelessly. "Verification will be 'Dark Nation'."

"Damn, I hated that cat," Cloud muttered, scowling some in reminisce of Rufus ShinRa's beloved pet.

"Good, then it will be quite easy for even you to remember, Cloud," Reeve's voice flatly stated. In response, Cloud gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. Tifa helped refrain his temper by gently holding his arm. This soothed Cloud's anger for a short time.

"And even if they still don't believe you, Cait Sith should report to me and I shall verify your entrance by taking over his voice abilities just like I'm doing just now," Reeve assured them as Cait Sith gave them an encouraging pose with one of his hands fisted in the air. The other AVALANCHE members looked at one another with raised eyebrows in question and worry.

Cait Sith noticed this, and dropped his arm. "What?" the robot's voice inquired innocently. When the party replied with voiceless shrugs, Cait Sith clapped his hands. "Well, then, let's mosey! Ow!"

At his last statement, Cid popped the back of his head with his foot. Rubbing the back of his head, Cait Sith averted his gaze up at the pilot, who was glaring down at the robot with his muscular arms folded upon his chest.

"It's already annoying when Spiky says it, we don't need your annoying voice to make it worse," Cid snapped. Clearly, he was in a foul mood and only Yuffie knew the reason, because she was the one who informed Cid's wife, Shera about him sneaking cigarettes behind her back. Not only was he suffering a migraine from the lack of his addiction to nicotine, but he was also extremely pissed off at the young shinobi. With that thought, Cid threw a glare at the small ninja.

"What?" Yuffie whined, her eyes blazing with frustration and confusion as she strapped her Conformer to its original place upon her back. Already she was hurt that she was disappointed in and felt guilty for not being present in mind during the battle, but she did not need the help of the pilot sending her daggers.

With a heaved sigh, Cid stalked off, slightly limping. "God, let's jus' get goin', before I lose it."

"Your temperance or your mental stability?" the ex-Turk curtly inquired, finally speaking up to remind his comrades of his presence.

"Both," Cid snarled and tread heavily through the plains, heading back to his beloved airship with the retired Mako cannon where the city Junon hoisted it proudly with their cities as its foundation to his back.

* * *

Steam hissed as the engine was slowed down to minimal speed for landing. A man below directed the large airship with two flags in his hands. With a grimace, the pilot of the _Shera_ whipped the wheel to hard starboard so that the ship may land in a parallel fashion. As the flying machine landed, the entire structure shook nearly causing the party of AVALANCHE to lose their balance.

"Cid, could you try not to disable the ship?" Cloud muttered, loosening his grip on one of the railings that was nearest to him at the time.

"Shaddup, Spikey!" Cid yelled, shutting down the engines and storming out of the cockpit. "I still don't like this. Not one…damn…bit."

"Ease up, Cid," Barret grumbled, grabbing the pilot's shoulder with his mechanical hand to prevent him from leaving. "We're here just for the head and then we go. Right, Spikey?"

Cloud looked over at the two men with a small nod. "Yeah."

Scoffing, Cid pushed himself away from Barret. "Oh, right. The scientists are just going to hand over Jenova with no fuss? Every year, Spike, your plans get more and more nuts!"

Cloud let out a sigh, bowing his head slightly as the others looked over at their leader for more guidance. After several moments of silence, Cloud glanced up with his bright blue eyes.

"We infiltrate their building after gathering information of their structure," Cloud told them solemnly. "We enter, probably dressed like them, and then we collect Jenova."

"You do understand that if this plan does not work out, people will get killed," Vincent forewarned, walking from his corner to join the others. "Are you prepared for that?"

A strained silence was all that was heard.

"Yes."

Vincent let a twitch play upon his lips before pivoting on his foot and departed from the others, his red cloak billowing behind him. Passing Yuffie, Vincent glanced down at the shinobi, his eyes were smoldering from suspicion. There was something different in the manner Yuffie carried herself, she was not the same as before.

As the members of the old resistance against ShinRa stepped down from the _Shera,_ Junon's guards crowded around the perimeter, watching the passengers of the airship descend the stairs. Grips were tightened on their weapons with both parties. Tensions were thick, reminisces of the past clouded around them and scowls were exchanged.

At last, the strain was lifted when Cait Sith bounced down the steps lively, pranced over to the guards, and jumped up and down.

"Hold it there! We're with ShinRa!" the small robot squeaked.

"Like hell," grumbled Barret under his breath as he balled his mechanical hand into a fist.

"Verification?" the lieutenant demanded roughly, his eyes glinting with some hidden malice and hatred at the new arrivals.

"Dark Nation," Cloud declared in a stiff voice.

Instead of allowing them access into the city, the lieutenant was still resilient in keeping his sights upon AVALANCHE. There was something in this man's eyes that was not like the others who were keeping their weapons at an aiming stance.

"Like ShinRa would ever grant this resistance, this AVALANCHE, the company's most hated nemesis, passage to Junon," the lieutenant growled.

"Maybe it escaped your notice, lieutenant," Reeve's voice suddenly declared through the small robot's mouth. "The ShinRa Electric Power Company had joined forces with them for the past two years. Should I remind you that both AVALANCHE and ShinRa worked together in bringing down the Ultimate Weapons that threatened our major cities. Let them pass, lieutenant."

Reluctantly, the lieutenant lowered his weapon and his men followed in that same fashion, granting passage for AVALANCHE. In turn, the members of the old resistance released their grips from their weapons and walked towards the garrison still with great caution. Tension was beginning to rise rapidly once again as the distance shortened by every step taken by the group.

Just then, as Cloud passed the lieutenant, it was only a split second later when the solider took advantage of Cloud's blindside, and in a flash raised his weapon above his shoulder and struck the back of Cloud's head with the butt of the gun.

As the leader of the group fell to his knees, clutching to the back of his head, the lieutenant did not hesitate to take the advantage of this and pounced on the ex-SOLDIER, dropping his weapon and struck Cloud repeatedly about the head and shoulders, shouting incoherent words as he did so.

Immediately, the rest of the group and the garrison intervene into the fight. Barret was the first to reach the fighting duo just when Cloud managed to get the upper hand and grabbed the lieutenant's shoulder with his mechanical hand, slinging the man off of Cloud and throwing him into the arms of his soldiers. AVALANCHE instantly made a human wall before Cloud and gripped their weapons in a threatening manner.

"What the hell is your problem?" Cid shouted at them, his leather gloves squeaking in protest as he tightened the grip upon his Venus Gospel.

"He killed Hajime!" the restrained lieutenant screamed, flailing his legs as an attempt to break free from the iron grip of his fellow soldiers. "He killed my brother! You bastard! I'll kill you! You drove my mother to an early grave after she heard her oldest son was cleaved in two! You heartless dick!"

"That's enough!"

The sudden harshness in Reeve's voice, caused silence to descend upon them. Everyone looked down at the small robot who suddenly appeared stern and serious for once.

"What's done is done, lieutenant," Reeve's voice sharply spoke up, making sure his words were heard. "All of us still have wounds from two years ago, but we have to move on."

The man gritted his teeth, and finally broke free from his restrainers. "Like hell," he muttered bitterly and stormed off into the city, with no intention of returning or giving knowledge to his fellow soldiers of what his next intentions are. Only awkward silence was left in his wake. In return, the other soldiers just hung their heads and dispersed, allowing the travelers to enter the city of Junon.

Once granted passage, Barret hoisted Cloud over his shoulder for the leader suddenly feel prey to his injuries. Yuffie released her deathlike grip from her Conformer, still doubtful that the soldiers really granted them the leeway to enter. Vincent only slightly bowed his head, letting his hand hang by his side instead of tightly clasping Death Penalty. Tifa rushed to Barret's side, making sure he had a good grip on her childhood friend. Cid rubbed his temple in annoyance, whilst searching his pockets for his cigarettes he had stolen away behind his wife's back again.

Worn and weakened from numerous battles and lack of supplies and magic points, the ALAVANCHE once again made their way into the grand city of Junon which still hoisted the mako cannon high in the sky, slowly but surely.

Without anyone's knowledge, Yuffie skillfully whipped out her cell phone behind her back and carefully entered a text message before sending it to Yazoo's phone. Smiling in triumph, Yuffie slipped her phone back into her pocket and skipped ahead of the group, not noticing Vincent's smoldering and suspicious crimson eyes upon her.

0o0o0o0

Her eyes shone and brightened by the minute as the sun rose higher to meet with the heavens. Her warm hand was upon his cheek, heating it instantly. The color of her eyes had him mesmerized, shining a starry violet and drawing him in. Their noses brushed just before their lips touched and mingled. Pleasant warmth spread throughout his entire body and on their own accord, his arms wrapped around her lithe frame, holding Yuffie close to his body while whispering her name.

"Yazoo!"

At the sound of Loz's voice, Yazoo snapped back into reality a split second before the Screamer the trio were currently battling against up in the mountains of Nibelheim, swung his mace at the young remnant, the iron ball catching him in his middle and throwing him off to the side. Yazoo's back connected hard against the mountain rock nearby and with a grunt and a soft gasp, the gunslinger fell to the ground, the slick granite scraped his cheek, splitting it.

"Damn!" Kadaj swore, leaping back to dodge the Screamer's Iron Ball deadly attack. "I'm out of magic points! Loz, a phoenix down! Now!"

During the dire circumstance, Loz looked at the creature he and Kadaj were battling against and whipped his head toward his fallen brother before turning his full attention back to the battle. The Screamer had let out a horrid cry as began twirling the iron ball mace over his head, increasing the speed within every second.

Time was very short, and Loz had so much to overcome within those precious seconds of time. Since he was a manipulator of time, Loz could possibly administer the phoenix down, and rush back to take a strike at the creature before it had a chance to hit him or his brothers.

Pushing on the ball of his left foot, Loz broke off in a fast sprint, leaving his youngest brother to fend for himself for a few short seconds, and dropped to his knees before completely stopping before Yazoo, sliding across the slick slab of granite and quickly searched his pockets for the item he desperately needed. His gloved hand grasping the neck of the small bottle that contained the tail feather of a phoenix, the resurrection bird.

Quickly, Loz opened the bottle after pulling it out of his pocket, deposited the golden feather upon the palm of his hand, and lifted it over Yazoo's head. Specks of gold were shaken from the feather and floated down, landing ever so softly upon the fallen remnant's hair and cheek.

Once Yazoo took his first breath, assuring Loz that the phoenix down was properly dispensed, the oldest of the trio leapt to his feet and rushed back into the battle just at the Screamer extended its arm as far as it would go behind him and was swinging the iron ball mace over his head, bringing it down upon the youngest remnant. Loz managed to cut in between the two, thrusting his right arm out to grab the chain that linked the iron ball to the handle, causing the iron ball to be misdirected from its target and wrapped around Loz's arm once, before dangling limply by the man's side.

Using this to his advantage, Loz yanked the chain towards him, bringing the monster closer to him, and then shoving his left arm-which beheld the Dual Hound, deep into the Screamer's ribs, causing colossal amounts of electricity to run through its veins.

With a howl, the Screamer shied away, dropping to its knees and with a choked gasp, fell upon its back, its labored breathing slowed and finally all was silenced save for the howling of the icy wind. Soon after befalling from Loz's fatal strike, the Screamer's carcass soon ebbed into nothing, leaving only traces of the Lifestream in its wake.

With a sniff from the cold air and his flushed body, Kadaj sheathed Souba with such fluid grace, Souba sang in the delightful handling her master was treating the double bladed katana. Loz grunted as he straightened himself, lolling his head back with a groan as he did so. However, Yazoo was straining to get back upon his feet, his head weary and his bones were sore.

None of his brothers came to his aid, and the young gunslinger blamed them not, they were tending and mending themselves. Besides, Yazoo's wounds were already healed and did not require the soothing relief from the Cure materia Loz was using on himself, after receiving the materia from Kadaj who wore a scowl on his face.

He had a reason for his scowl; for two days, the three brothers had wandered in the godforsaken labyrinth with no hope of ever escaping the cruelty of nature's works.

To their backs, or so they believe, was the village of Nibelheim, hometown of _Nii-san's_. They were a small populace, a tad bit smaller since the remnants' arrival. By now, village folk are discovering a trail of blood, smeared upon the pine wood, tainting it, and following it cautiously and fear rushing up their throats as they come to a stop in front of a broom closet. Upon opening the door, they will discover their beloved innkeeper's corpse, pale and ice cold. His brown eyes glassy and beheld the expression of horror. His head was tilted, no, almost dangling from the stump where his neck used to be.

As he relished the memory of slaying the nosy innkeeper, Kadaj's lips bore his sinister smirk, wetting them once in a while in lust for more of crimson liquid to flow from his victims. The feel of that thick liquid splashing against his pale features, made him feel powerful, knowing that he was the victor, that he was the one who took their precious souls.

A soft groan could be heard from Yazoo, and Kadaj narrowed his Mako eyes at the older remnant as Yazoo stumbled a bit whilst he walked towards his brothers, his head tilted back and his mouth slightly parted from the weariness that overtook his strength. A sneer suddenly changed the young man's expression and with a scoff, Kadaj approached Yazoo.

"Dear brother, could it be just possible that you're slipping?" Kadaj questioned with a sinister smile. "What could be effecting you in this fashion?"

The youngest remnant pretended to seriously ponder about this mystery before him, playfully tapping his chin as he circled Yazoo who in returned gritted his teeth and followed the movements of Kadaj with narrowed eyes. His Mako eyes glinted mischievously as he stood in front of Yazoo, lifting his head some to make eye contact.

"I haven't eaten well in the last two days," Yazoo lied smoothly, but it did not go by unnoticed as he had hoped.

"Tsk, brother," Kadaj clucked his tongue with playfulness underlying his tone. "You've eaten heartedly since we left Corel."

For a brief moment, Yazoo panicked some; Kadaj had been watching him closely. This was not good for the gunslinger.

"Well, it was probably something I ate then," Yazoo calmly stated, shifting his weight as he usually did. "You know the nutrition from Corel was something from the depths of hell if not lower. Because of that, I haven't been able to sleep either."

Kadaj then gave his older brother a devious smirk, which worried Yazoo some, but was relieved once his younger brother finally spoke his mind.

"Well then, Yazoo," Kadaj sighed carelessly. "If you cannot let sleep come to you, then you can wait for the dawn tonight."

"Fine," the older remnant snapped in a hushed tone, turning on his heel and began stalking off towards the direction the three were originally going before they were attacked.

Thunder rolled in the distance, reverberating, jumping from cloud to cloud, before rumbling above the remnants, warning them of the storm that was to come. They granted the dark sky mere seconds before returning their full attention back into setting the tent up for the night, but in a more quickened pace to assure the sky that they had taken heed to the fair warning.

"Loz, Yazoo," Kadaj called out to them, fluidly standing up from his finished work of driving one of the pegs into the hard clay dirt to secure their tent. "I'm going to find a creek in this godforsaken place and fill our canteens. Finish setting up the tent." Strapping Souba to his back, Kadaj granted his older brothers a smirk as he gathered the canteens before he walked off, disappearing into the thick mist that surrounded them.

Biting his lip for some time, Loz counted a good two minutes worth of seconds before breaking the eerie silence as he helped Yazoo on securing the tent. They were about done, but they would need a tarp over the tent to secure the dryness of their temporary base. Yazoo had just began to search through their belongings, trying to locate the much needed tarp when Loz spoke up.

"What happened, Yazoo?" Loz questioned softly. "You had this look on your face as if you were asleep." Looking up from his work, Loz noticed Yazoo's body tensed and remained in the crouched position for sometime before finally rising to his feet.

"It's nothing," Yazoo said offhandedly, handing Loz a corner of the tarp and together they hoisted it over the tent. After gathering some rope, Yazoo began to finish the task by tying the corners of the cover with the rope and then proceeded to tie the other ends of the rope around nearby stalagmites.

"You were thinking about her, weren't you?"

That question froze Yazoo's veins and made all the functions of his body stop suddenly if only momentarily. This reaction immediately answered Loz's suspicions. With a sigh, Loz shook his head.

"You almost got killed, Yazoo," Loz muttered, tying one of the corners of the tarp Yazoo missed.

"I know," the younger remnant whispered, dropping his hands once he finished the knot upon a stalagmite. "I don't understand; it's never happened before."

A grin split the oldest remnant's face. "Aw, my little brother is experiencing the consequences of having a female friend," Loz teased, ending his sentence with a wink.

Yazoo scoffed. "I think you are mistaken, Loz."

"Oh?" Loz queried, smirking as he did so. "Then what were you thinking about, brother, that caused you to have a smile upon your face?"

"I wasn't smiling," Yazoo grumbled, his temper slowly, but surely rising from the light torture.

Loz's grin widened as he leaned forward. "You whispered her name."

If it was possible, Yazoo would have paled, but instead of that symptom, the gunslinger's eyes slightly changed for a mere second. That was all Loz needed to rest his case, and smirked in victory.

"I was teasing, Yazoo," Loz simpered, folding his arms upon his muscular chest. "You didn't say her name, but you _were_ thinking about her, weren't you?"

Sighing in defeat, Yazoo shifted his weight, fiddled with the rope in his gloved hands, and finally raised his head to meet his older brother's gaze. "And if I was?" he questioned curtly.

"No need to be harsh, Yazoo," Loz sighed, rolling his eyes with some annoyance. "She must be very good company to cause _you_ to lose focus in battle." The oldest of the three then shook his head as he dropped his hands down to his sides. "I know this is odd coming from me, but you need to be more mindful; especially now, since Kadaj has been watching you."

"How long has he been doing that?" Yazoo questioned with wary mind.

"Ever since you returned from 'scouting'," Loz answered with some thoughtfulness. "You don't think he saw you messing around with your cell phone, did he?"

This time, Yazoo did pale.

"I…I didn't go that far from the base before I checked," Yazoo admitted, mentally scolding himself for being so naïve on that vital part.

"I should say that," Loz grumbled. "I could see you, and I was entering the back door from my scouting."

"What was Kadaj doing when you entered?" Yazoo demanded softly, his stomach twisting.

After taking some precious moments to rehash that far away memory, Loz met Yazoo's gaze. "He _was_ near the window, but he was looking over the map, so I can't say for sure either he saw you or not."

Air gushed out of Yazoo's mouth as he rubbed his forehead, a sign of him being extremely worried. If Kadaj saw Yazoo with his cell phone, it was all but over for him and Yuffie. There had to be something, somehow to advert that suspicion from Kadaj's mind, if that was possible for the youngest of the three was the most stubborn out of all of them.

"You know you can explain away the cell phone," Loz told him, placing a reassuring hand upon his troubled brother's shoulder.

A light in Yazoo's eyes was finally recovered.

"How?"

"Remember when we first used cell phones?" Loz queried offhandedly. "My phone kept ringing for days because some tire shop's phone number was the same as mine."

"Do you think Kadaj would suspect though?"

Loz rubbed his chin. "If you have her number on vibrate or your usual ring and shut it after looking at the ID; he might believe it. It worked with me many times when I've had females calling me. Kadaj still thinks humans are dialing my phone by mistake." He ended the sentence with one of his smirks.

Yazoo countered this with a minute smile. "Thank you."

Loz came up to his younger brother and squeezed his round shoulder. "If she brings a smile to your face, she must be worth it, brother."

0o0o0o0

Light began to dim around the two remaining Remnants as they waited for their youngest to return. The chewing of their lips, the wrenching of their hands, the pacing with their feet, and the slight tapping against their thighs, confessed their worry about their leader. Even though his methods are cruel, to them at times, Kadaj was their beacon, their guide to Mother for he was the only one out of all three to connect and bond with Mother the most. This was because of his destiny of becoming Sephiroth reborn.

Looking up at the dark, dank, clouded sky, Yazoo assumed that the night was approaching to the early hours of the morning, and it was probably best if Loz turned in and Yazoo begin his duty as lookout. It was rare for Yazoo to worry about Kadaj returning at ungodly hours of the morning, but in all those times, they were near a small resort, and so one would easily assume that Kadaj was spending his night looking for more desirable company, company that would sate his needs.

Yazoo let out an annoyed sigh, before turning to his older brother. "Loz, go and rest," he told him softly yet firmly. "No need for both of us to spend a sleepless night."

"Are you sure, Yazoo?" Loz questioned, worry interlacing his tone. "Can you handle Kadaj by yourself? What if he-"

"I'll be fine, Loz," Yazoo assured, raising a hand to prevent his older brother from speaking any further. "He won't find out, he _can't _find out."

"If you are sure, Yazoo," Loz sigh, standing up. "Just be careful with your words."

"Go," Yazoo softly ordered with a slight bow of his head. "And I'll take heed of your advice, brother."

With a sad smile, Loz retreated into the small tent, and Yazoo turned on his heel and began to walk away from the camp, his left hand slipping behind his back and fingering the handle of his beloved gunblade, assuring him that Velvet Nightmare was there.

Once he rounded the corner, Yazoo discovered that he had turned upon a ledge, over viewing some of the peaks which formed walls, making some sort of natural labyrinth, and some of the Mako geysers, and in some places black pits threatened to swallow careless travelers. Crowning all these things was the setting red sun, her dimming rays still glinting upon the slick black rock, which diffused with every minute.

Watching the sun set reminded Yazoo of that morning he spent with Yuffie, and it brought his thoughts back to his phone, and pondered if Yuffie left a message. For some moments, he thought it was not possible for she was most likely traveling and even if she and her group were abiding in a town, she knew it was not possible for him to go to her. But then, maybe she wanted to tell him where they were residing just to let him know.

Smoothly, and on its own accord, his right hand slipped into his pocket and retrieved the phone from his front pants pocket. As he flipped the phone opened, he held his breath, whispering a silent prayer that his secret friend did leave him some sort of message.

Upon the screen of his phone, a small white banner alerted him a new message had come. At the sight of this, Yazoo felt relief and almost eagerly opened the message and read it silently.

SILVER - JUST THOUGHT I'D LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE

JUNON FOR 2 WKS

IF YOU COME BY, SHADE IN MY WINDOW WILL BE UP IF COAST IS CLEAR, DOWN IF NOT.

3YUFFIE

After rereading the message, Yazoo simply stared at the strange symbol by Yuffie's name. It appear to form a shape humans draw to show affection to an other human. The name of the symbol slipped Yazoo's mind, but he decided to ask the small shinobi about it when he sees her again. He hoped that the reunion with her would be very soon.

Snapping the phone shut, Yazoo let a small noise emit from his throat as he pocketed the device. That was when he felt sudden dread, his heart burned as is it had stopped beating, and in return, ceasing his breathing momentarily. Slowly turning his head, Yazoo observed the terrain that was cloaked in a heavy mist, but it did not fully cloaked the looming figure that lingered in there. The eyes that shone a malicious green, revealed to Yazoo who was watching him.

"Ah, brother, tending to your duties?" Kadaj taunted, approaching out of the mist, wisps of the white fog dispersing as they attempted to keep the youngest Remnant veiled in their white shadow.

"Yes," Yazoo simply stated coolly, shifting his weight on his right leg. "You were gone for some time, Kadaj. Did you lose your way back?"

The leader's eyes narrowed with annoyance. "No," he hissed. "I found a route that leads to an abandoned Mako Reactor. I believe Mother was hidden in there by ShinRa some time ago."

"Oh?"

"Her name is imprinted upon a sealed doorway," Kadaj impatiently informed the gunslinger. "It's where Sephiroth had saved her from that damned experimental tube."

Yazoo merely nodded, and slightly turned his attention back to the scenery. "What will we find there do you think? Mother was taken back to the ShinRa Building seven years ago-"

"Mother will show us what to do when we get there," Kadaj snapped. "I feel her presence there."

"How many hours will it take to travel there?" Yazoo inquired.

"Two…three hours," Kadaj carelessly answered with a shrug.

Silence was tense between them, Yazoo wished that Kadaj would return to the camp, not standing nearby, his eyes seemingly piercing through his soul. Pretending not to notice, Yazoo continued to watch the sunset. As Yazoo enjoyed the scenery, soft footsteps could be heard, echoing ever so softly upon the rock. Even though he knew Kadaj was approaching him, Yazoo paid no heed to it, knowing if he did, it would have made Yazoo look vulnerable.

"So, my brother," Kadaj spoke up at Yazoo's side suddenly in a soft voice. "The time of the reunion with Mother is near…"

"So it is," Yazoo replied in a soft murmur.

Kadaj made a soft noise in his throat as he turned his head to face the last moments of the sunset before night completely overtook the sky. "I cannot wait to find her once again."

"Will you transform into Sephiroth?" Yazoo questioned.

"I don't think Mother will allow that," Kadaj answered bitterly. "She's got something else planned for me, for all of us, Yazoo." Finishing this sentence, Kadaj let out a laugh, throwing back his head some as he did so. Suddenly, he stopped, and whipped his head towards Yazoo, his eyes burning.

"You know I'd do anything for Mother," he declared in voice laced with passion and anger, if not fury. "How about you?"

Yazoo was taken aback by the question. "What?"

"Would you sacrifice everything for her?" Kadaj demanded forcefully, his eyes glinting in a way Yazoo had never seen before. "Would you even die for her?"

"You know that I would, Kadaj," Yazoo told his brother sternly.

Kadaj stood before his older brother and leaned forward, to where their faces were mere inches apart, and looked into Yazoo's eyes. "Why then, dear brother, do I doubt that?" he questioned.

Yazoo turned his face away, avoiding Kadaj's glare. "How would I know that?" the gunslinger countered.

"You haven't been the same ever since our little pixie ran away," Kadaj noted, tilting his head slightly. "I pray you hadn't been attached to her."

"I was naïve to think she was like Niyuki," Yazoo bitterly replied, hoping this façade would divert Kadaj's suspension. "I nearly paid for it with my life."

Kadaj placed his gloved hand upon Yazoo's cheek and turned the gunslinger's face so that he would face him. For several moment they mirrored each other reflecting each other in their unique eyes.

"And let us hope you do not make the same mistake, brother," Kadaj whispered. "For Fate may not be so kind upon you next time."

With those words spoken, Kadaj gave his older brother a smirk and patted the side of Yazoo's face twice like a parent might do to their child and retreated back towards the tent Loz and Yazoo had set up. With disgust, Yazoo rolled his eyes, and turned his attention back to the night sky which was now dotted with the small bright lights which are used for guidance and stories.

* * *

**(A/N)** -shudder- I don't know 'bout you guys, but Kadaj is getting kinda scary.

Yazoo: You're the one writing his character that way.

forgiven4ever: Well, yeah, -shrug- had to make _someone _the villain besides Jenova's brain matter

Yuffie: So Loz is good with us, right?

forgiven4ever: Strangely enough, yes.

Yazoo: Speaking of strange, didn't you turn eighteen recently?

forgiven4ever: Yes!

Yuffie: Do you feel older?

forgiven4ever: No.

Yazoo: And have you worked on that fic you made last year on your birthday? Ice Cold?

forgiven4ever: No…

Yuffie: What about End of All Things? I don't think you touched that since last year.

forgiven4ever: -puts head down- No…

::Yazoo gives 4ever paper and pen and sets her off to work::

Yuffie: We hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as fun 4ever had fun writing it. Remember to send loves, hugs, and of course reviews!

Yazoo: Flames are welcome but will be used to…-turns to 4ever(chained to desk)-

forgiven4ever: Flames will be used to burn Kadaj! So don't burn the cute little remnant! Thankies so much guys and God bless!

_Nota Bene:_

_Leaving on a high note, my Yazfie writing contest will close on July 18__th__. So, if you still want to write something for this contest, you still have time. I know you guys have the talent and the imagination to do this. So, go crazy with your entry and please enter!_

In loving memory of my friend, Macy, who left us on May 10. We'll see your beautiful smile soon, Macy.


	15. Chapter 15

-walks through the door with a heavy book chained to her leg- Hi guys! As you probably know, I started college! Thus, my late, late, late, late, late update. I would have updated sooner, but the college I go to is _very _strict about internet issues. I got the block when I tried fan fiction. Sucks, I know. But! I'm here for now and I hope to update End of All Things as well. God bless you guys for your support of this pairing, and thankies so much for all your reviews. -mwah!- Results for the Yazfie contest are up! Just go on my profile and look for the Yazfie Writing Results; there should be a link there. Those who entered did an awesome job, and thank you for taking the time to participate. God bless you guys. Now, onto the fic!

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ Remember, I do not own the Final Fantasy characters, just the plot.

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_**A Failed Attempt **_

Tracing his course finger along the rim of the glass filled partially with his favorite drink, the tired, blonde-haired warrior let out a heavy sigh. His head still pulsed in a painful pace, reminding him of the brutal hit he received yesterday, and his eyes bore a red tint, revealing the secret of a restless night.

Looking up, Cloud squinted some to see his fellow companions descending the small staircase and making their way over to their leader and as a response to this, Cloud sighed once again, leaning back in his chair and slipped back on his glove, contemplating on how he should lay out the plan. Cloud was usually a spur-of-the-moment-think-later spectator until two years ago. Nowadays, the blonde warrior would suggest something, spend a day or two thinking about what precautions should be taken, and then lay out his plan to his companions. It was during times like these, Cloud wish Zack were still alive.

"So, Spiky," Barret muttered as he sat down at the table and collected a full bottle of beer that was among several others in the center of the table. "What's the plan?"

Cloud heaved a sigh before answering the gun-armed man. "We collect some lab coats, and infiltrate through a side door that doesn't require a card key. The rest is improvisation since we don't know where exactly Jenova is in that building."

Yuffie chewed on her lip, and tapped her fingers upon the table in a timed rhythm. "So, do you want to split up on separate floors and contact each other via PHS or what?"

"We will use our PHS, Yuffs, but only for emergencies," Cloud stated, remaining his blue piercing eyes on the young shinobi who had been infamous on contacting them in convert operation, yelling about some guy trying to hit on her in a bar, or something that she could handle very well on her own.

"Hey, that guy was _all _over me, Chobit," Yuffie grumbled, snatching the small basket set in the center of the round table and began gathering some packets of crackers. "Man, you should have seen me. That guy took a hold of my wrist and wham!" She illustrated her story by pounding her fist hard upon the unsuspecting packet of crackers.

Other spectators in the bar whipped their heads toward the direction where the group was sitting at. Receiving glares from her companions, Yuffie chuckled nervously in embarrassment. When the awkwardness subsided, Cloud waited for a while before beginning to speak again, this time in a hushed tone, since Yuffie gave away their discretion.

"Listen, guys, it's very important that no one knows about this," Cloud whispered in a solemn tone. "If word leaks out, not only would the laboratory be almost impossible to break in, the entire city would most likely never let us pass through here again. Are we clear?"

"Sure, Spike," Barret agreed for the rest of the group. "Anything you say."

"Yuffie?"

"What?" Yuffie whined. "What did I do? Secrets die with me, Chobit. You know that." His blue eyes continued to stare at her and before long her resolve cracked. "That was just one time!"

"Cloud, relax," said Cid, putting out his cigarette. "It's not like we haven't done this before."

"I know," Cloud sighed. "I just don't want a rerun of what nearly happened two years ago."

"It won't," Tifa promised softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. To her surprise, Cloud placed his hand over hers and held it there for several moments before letting her hand go.

"Tomorrow, at sunrise, we scope the place out," Cloud informed his companions. "And the day after that, we attack."

With no words spoken, the company began to go their separate ways for the day, knowing that they would have to stock up for preparation, and come back early to rest and heal their wounds. As soon as they departed, the lieutenant who assaulted Cloud, leaned back in his chair with a smug look on his face. He had heard everything that was said since he was at the table beside them. Revenge was sweet after all. The lieutenant abruptly leapt from his chair, nearly spilling his bottle of beer and briskly walked out. There were some scientists who would love to hear what had just been conspired moments ago.

Tapping his ballpoint pen in a steady beat upon the desk, Dr. Matachi looked up at the lieutenant who had just informed him of a plan of invasion lead by AVALANCHE. This worried the young doctor, but only a little. The item which the group was after was very valuable to them in the laboratory for they were so close into finding out where this Calamity came from originally. They knew the creature was immortal, but the chemicals on this planet was slowly and surely deteriorating Jenova.

Sighing as he leaned back in his chair, the doctor twirled the pen in his thin hands. If what the lieutenant said is true, then the scientists would have to evacuate Jenova quickly, and make preparations for the Calamity's transport to Modeoheim. They would also have to alert the scientists there and have them set up the requirements needed to preserve Jenova.

"Thank you for your warning, sir," Dr. Matachi finally said after the long period of strained silence. "I assure you that AVALANCHE will not succeed in their plan."

"You're quite welcome, doctor," the lieutenant replied with a smug smile. "I was wondering though if you would like a few garrisons of my men guard your laboratory."

The doctor took only a moment to consider this suggestion by the lieutenant and weigh the consequences which were surely to arise when AVALANCHE infiltrate the building and set his strong jutted jaw. If he was to accept the charitable lieutenant's proposal, the lieutenant would certainly not hesitate to cut down the group AVALANCHE which would not go unnoticed by President Rufus Shin-Ra and his little lap dog Reeve. However, if the doctor refuses AVALANCHE would take the Jenova specimen without fail.

Dr. Matachi lifted his blue eyes to the lieutenant. Strands of his slicked back black hair fell into his eyes. "Yes, that would be sufficient. Prepare your men."

The lieutenant let a smirk graced his lips. "My pleasure, doctor."

As the sun crept over the horizon, her rays blanketed the earth before her. Metal glinted in response, greeting the sun as she came up. Shades were pulled down in windows to shun the sun. A door opened in reply to the sun's early rays and to greet her was AVALANCHE exiting out of the inn as quietly as they could.

Cloud propped the door open so his companions would exit the building with more ease. As his companions swiftly made their way out, Cloud let the plan relayed in his mind for the umpteenth time. They were to approach the main building which was connected to the Mako cannon, and locate one of the many side entrances. Once that is done, they will apprehend some doctors and steal their coats. Yuffie and Tifa will then flirt with the receptionists and Cid dressing as a doctor will enter their back offices and hack into their computer to locate Jenova.

Yuffie was the last person out and once she was out she arched her back as far as it would go, resulting in the several pops in her back as her spine settled. Yuffie then let out a long yawn and scratched the back of her head as she smacked her lips.

"Man, what a day to break into a lab," she muttered as she straightened herself and then tightened her utility belt which held her potions, ether, and of course, her tiny butterfly shurikens.

"Hush," Cloud seethed, clenching his teeth as he silently closed the door. "Do you want the whole town know about our plans?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Geez, someone rolled out on the wrong side of the bed today. Honestly, Chobit, you acting like a girl on--" that was as far as she could with her sentence before Cloud had clamped his gloved hand over her mouth.

"I said quiet," Cloud snapped. "We need to move now and _quietly_, Yuffie."

Yuffie smacked his hand away. "I know," she hissed. "I'm not deaf!"

"Really?" Cid mocked, tightening the strap that held his Venus Gospel in its place upon his back. "That's surprising."

Yuffie shot him a death glare, but the pilot pretended not to notice and continued to check his utility belt to make sure he was stocked well on potions and ethers as well. Yuffie decided to bite her tongue and began to occupy herself by making sure the right materia needed for the mission were well in place in her Conformer and in her armband.

What she would not give to be back in bed, encased with her warm blankets and dreaming of her silver-haired friend and wondering when they would meet again. Thinking of these things must have left a goofy grin on her face because Cid noticed it.

"What's with the grin, brat?" he demanded with a small scowl.

Yuffie nearly jumped at the query, but recovered quickly with a smug smirk upon her lips. "Oh, nothing," she lied, tilting her head to the side. "Just that Shera found your pack of cigarettes."

Cid's jaw dropped, uttering a curse. "That was my last emergency pack," he grumbled, turning on his heel and stalking off toward the direction where the laboratory was located.

Reluctantly, the rest of AVALANCHE followed the pilot, knowing there was no going back. As the group tightened their fists and gritted their teeth, the horrifying fact occurred to them: people were going to die today.

Standing in the shadows opposite from the side metal door, Cloud kept watch for a lone scientist to ambush and relieve him of his lab coat and his keycard. Behind him was Cid, lighting his last cigarette and enjoying the sweet flavor of his last dose of nicotine. He was waiting for Cloud to give the word to ambush a doctor and Cid was to take the keycard and coat and then infiltrate the building.

Down the street, Barret and Vincent were lingering across the street of the building's front door. The two made sure their presence was not noticeable to the public, since their clothing was not of the normal attire the public was used to seeing. Vincent was loading his Cerberus and Barret was inserting some magic and supporting materia into his mechanical arm. The two men were prepared to attack a whole army.

Meanwhile, Tifa and Yuffie were at the front desk, distracting the workers there. All they had to do was to keep the men's eyes off the screen that focused on the side door Cid was to enter and on them. With Tifa, that part was easy.

"So you guys watch everything and everyone?" Tifa innocently asked, leaning over the counter and thrusting out her chest, immediately averting the two men's eyes from her face to her breasts. Tifa pretended not to notice and tried to lean in further to peek at the surveillance footage that showed positions in various places.

Yuffie chewed her lip, trying to conjure up a way to help Tifa. A bold idea struck her as she jumped onto the counter, swinging her long legs where she used to stand and twisted herself around in such a way to innocently peer at the screens as well.

The man she was targeting, the one nearest to her, whipped his head around and once he saw skin, his eyes stayed glued to her taut stomach. The one nearest to Tifa kept his gaze on her, nodding occasionally as if listening to what she was saying.

Outside the building, Cloud tightened the grip of his large sword, containing the other seven blades, making the sword not only heavier, but perfect for massive blunt and slashing damage. A lone scientist had turned around the corner, laughing at what he had heard from a fellow scientist who was still around the front of the building and out of sight. Cloud knew he was the perfect candidate.

Barret had approached the other scientist at the front, striking up a conversation with the man, distracting the scientist from the world around them. This gave Cloud and Cid the perfect opportunity to ambush the other scientist who was finishing off his cigarette and tossing it to the ground.

"Go," Cloud simply ordered in a soft tone, but it still made Cid jump.

Muttering another curse, Cid walked casually out of the alleyway and approached the unsuspecting man. His Venus Gospel was no longer strapped to his back, making him look just like another random face in the ocean of the Junon populace.

"Hey, man," Cid greeted with a fake smile whole-heartedly, lifting his right arm to attract the man's eyes towards him. "I'm a bit lost, can you help me?"

The scientist shifted his weight as he checked his watch with annoyance laced in his features. His shoulder-length blond hair hid his annoyance from Cid, but not entirely.

"I guess I can help you," the man lazily replied, dropping his arm at his side. "What is it?"

"I was looking for the bar."

"At this hour?"

"Look, smartass," Cid growled, "you keep your hours how you like, and I'll keep mine."

"There is no need for language," the scientist told him with a heavy sigh, regretting he ever got out of bed. "The bar is located at--"

The rich baritone voice of the scientist was cut off but a dull whack which was caused by Cloud's blunt end of his sword connecting to the man's skull. As the man dropped, letting gravity take over, Cid caught the man in his arms and began to drag him over to the ally way where he and Cloud were previously standing.

Cid pulled and tugged the lab coat from the young man's frame and slipped it on. The size was perfect, and what made Cid's day brighter was when he dug his hands into his newly obtained lab coat's pockets, he felt a familiar object along with the keycard: a pack of cigarettes.

Back inside, Tifa was now on the other side of the counter, standing beside the man who was previously ogling at her chest, pretending to be interested in what he was explaining about the surveillance cameras. She had also leaned towards the screen, making sure her chest was near the man's peripheral vision.

The men did not even see Cid coming towards the counter, rounding the counter, and passing the counter for their eyes were too focused on the two women in front of them. Looking at screens as their job requested had long ago left their minds.

Pretending to be casually walking to his office, Cid made sure to set his walking pace slow enough to read the office numbers on the dark blue plaques on the right side of the doors. Below each number, gave the name of the room or who owned the room. All the doors were closed and locked, but could be opened with a swipe of a keycard in front of a little gray box that was on the frame of the right side of the door.

A label marked _Laboratory _caught the pilot's eye, and he stopped dead in his tracks. Pivoting on his heel, Cid approached the door and peered through the small window the door held. The room was filled with computers which glared back at him with their blue eyes. It was most likely to find the location of Jenova through the computer mainframe in that room.

Smiling, Cid whipped out the stolen keycard and held it in front of the small gray box which bore a small red light, telling everyone the door was locked. The gray box beeped twice, and the light changed to green, granting him access into the room. He entered swiftly after checking the hall for other scientists and finding none, closing the door quietly behind him.

The pilot cracked his knuckles as he approached the computers with a smirk still upon his face. His fingers ached to press the plastic keys on the keyboard of the main computer. Computers were not Cid's cup of tea, but he had the gift of the ability to hack into the most secure computer network ever since he was twenty-one.

Leaning over the keyboard, Cid poised his callused fingers above the doomed keys before furiously began making demands to locate the mainframe to shut down the security so that he would granted access to even the restricted sections of the laboratory's computer. A few keystrokes later, a warning box appeared on the screens, asking Cid if he wished to continue. Pressing the return key, Cid was granted to all the information on the computer. Now the main concern lurking in Cid's head at the moment was locating Jenova.

Sticking out the tip of his tongue through the corner of his mouth, Cid bit it lightly as he squinted his blue eyes from the intense glare from the screen. The sections of each laboratory contained sub-sections, and more sections into that. But the problem was finding the right chief section that would lead him to Jenova.

The late Professor Hojo's name suddenly caught his eye and Cid tilted his head in curiosity before moving the cursor over the insane scientist's name and selecting it. Another screen loaded Hojo's accomplishments, and unfinished work he left behind or let die.

Scrolling down the list, Cid clucked his tongue as he looked for the letter J in Hojo's projects. Project G, Project S, Project Z, Project C; these projects were the major and more recent ones, but after Project C the list went on to Project Deepground, Project Omega, Project Chaos. The last three did not even phased Cid and he deemed them unimportant as he focused on the Project S, Z, and C.

The pilot knew that Cloud was experimented for four years with his friend Zack and were infused with some Jenova cells, but only Cloud was the one to respond to the experiments with his connection with Sephiroth and was able to be controlled by the silver-haired ex-general. But Sephiroth was known as a "perfect" specimen, so Cid deduced that if Jenova would be mentioned anywhere, it would be under the Project S file.

"Load Project S," Cid muttered to himself as his fingers flew across the keyboard and sharply tapped the return key.

The file began to load and finally appeared on the screen. Cid managed to read the first sentence of when Hojo and Dr. Lucrecia Cresent managed to successfully form a fertilized egg Hojo's sperm, Lucrecia's egg, and Jenova's DNA and planted it in Lucrecia when suddenly a blaring sound could be heard, screeching over the speakers. A flashing red light was alerting everyone within the building where Cid was.

"Security Breach in Sector 2," a computerized voice with artificial intelligence and more complex components declared loudly over the speakers. "Intruder Alert in Laboratory 003. Security Breach. Security Breach."

"Damn!" Cid cursed loudly, whirling around quickly to make his way to the door. Unfortunately, someone was blocking that passageway to freedom.

The man blocking Cid's path was young and looked to be fit, but his physical fitness was not Cid's main concern. What was troubling the pilot was the fact that the younger man was not only a soldier for Junon, the soldier had a loaded rifle in his hands, aimed right at Cid's chest.

"Halt!" ordered the soldier. "Do not move or I will shoot!"

"Like hell," Cid muttered, before placing his hands against the desk and managed to swing the lower half of his body upward. His right foot managed to connect with the rifle in the soldier's hand and managed to kick the rifle up into the air.

A second later, Cid's feet were planted firmly on the ground and the pilot lunged his upper body forward, his right arm extended for a punch while the soldier was following the projected path of his rifle with his eyes. But before Cid could land that perfectly aimed punch, the young soldier had swiftly brought up his left arm and managed to connect his forearm with Cid's wrist, causing the aimed punch to go astray.

Cid blue eyes had widened and his face ashened from the event that just happened. This was not going to be an easy fight. The silence was broken when the rifle landed harshly on the metal floor.

Grabbing Cid's wrist, the soldier threw Cid to the side, causing the pilot to slam harshly against a nearby wall. Giving Cid no chance to regain his senses of the room, the younger man rushed at him.

To the young soldier's horror, Cid managed to leap out of harm's way. Once the misguided punch hit the wall instead of the pilot's face, the young man's face widened. At this opportune moment, Cid delivered an effective roundhouse kick to the soldier's jaw, successfully breaking it, and sent the young man flying backwards. When the soldier was lying flat upon his back, Cid let out the breath he had been holding and proceeded out of the room, remembering to collect the forgotten rifle.

Running down the hall, Cid could hear sounds of fighting over the loud blaring siren and knew it was Tifa and Yuffie. He rounded the corner to the area of the reception desk just as Tifa threw the guy into the opposite wall, instantly knocking him out.

Yuffie had used her sitting position to her advantage and swung both her legs over the counter, wrapped them around the man's neck and used all her lower body strength to throw him upward into the ceiling, successfully smacking him into the light panel above them.

"Hell, girls," Cid breathed, lowering his newly acquired rifle. "You both make a lot of noise. What are you tryin' to do? Alert the whole building?"

Tifa coolly turned to him. "No, Cid, you did that," she retorted, glancing up at the speaker above them which was still blaring the alarm before ripping her gloves off and shoving them into her back pocket.

"Did you find Jenova?" Yuffie innocently asked, hopping off the counter, stumbling some before regaining her balance.

"Dammit, kid, let's just get out of here!" Cid snapped, his blue eyes focused on the barricade of soldiers which were coming up behind Tifa and Yuffie hard and fast. The pilot ran past the two women and fired upon the barricade, emptying his clip on ten soldiers.

"Where is it?" Tifa yelled over the noise of the soldiers bustling about them, forming a circle around them.

Cid growled in frustration when his clip emptied and turned the gun around, preparing to use it as a bat. "I don't know!" he finally admitted, lunging himself toward the crowd of soldiers. "Break through!"

Tifa rushed toward another crowd of soldiers, tilting her body and began to slide. After knocking three soldiers down, Tifa threw her right elbow back hitting another soldier in his stomach. She ducked a blow to the head and used her propped left arm as a vault, propelling her upward and around. Her feet connected with many jaws and took out five more soldiers.

Yuffie launched herself into the air, avoiding a swipe at her from a random soldier and flipped over once before landing hard upon the soldier's back. Using him as a springing board, Yuffie leapt from him and rushed at another soldier, pinning him down. From that position, Yuffie aimed a powerful kick to another soldier's jaw. The young princess of Wutai panted heavily as she looked about her. More soldiers were gathering around the three.

"There's too many!" she yelled.

"Dammit!" Cid swore as he received a blow to the stomach from the butt of a rifle.

Tifa suffered from a soldier slamming his gun against her left knee causing her to lose her balance.

When all seemed to be bleak for the trio a loud shot could be heard, almost like an explosion. Many soldiers are thrown aside due to this explosion, some looked down and noticed a gaping hole in their chest before collapsing to the floor.

When the trio looked in the direction of the fallen soldiers, to their relief, they saw their two comrades Barret and Vincent with their powerful weapons raised to clear more of the soldiers and retrieve their friends in need.

"It's about time!" Cid grunted, throwing aside the soldier that was lunging toward him.

"Shuddap!" Barret shouted. "Let's just get the hell outta here and get on the _Shera_!"

As Tifa, Yuffie and Cid made their way to the other two comrades, knocking aside anyone who got in their way, Cid whipped out his PHS.

"Shera! Get us the hell outta here!"

"On my way, Captain!" Shera answered her husband.

Just outside the laboratory, Cloud had unleashed a deadly slashing move upon seven of the many soldiers that had him surrounded. Cursing them through gritted teeth, Cloud tightened the already iron grip he had on his massive sword. Striking down another soldier that had tried his chance to lunge toward the blonde warrior, Cloud heard the whirring and hissing sound of metal doors easing open. Horror had stricken his face as he blue eyes beheld the sight he had fear would happened.

An airship had taken off from its secret place in the laboratory. This was what Cloud had feared; the scientists had an emergency evacuation plan for Jenova. They were taking her away to somewhere safe and secret. This will make the obtaining of Jenova even more difficult than before. Cloud had only mere seconds to stop this if he could.

Before he knew what he was doing, Cloud had broken through the small barricade of soldiers and began running up the wall, toward the direction of the airship that was just barely hovering over the building. Cloud had little precious time left and he was going to use it wisely and, he prayed, effectively.

Once he had reached the summit of the building, Cloud put all of his force behind his left foot before springing toward the rising airship. He twirled his sword twice and blue fire started to emit from the flawless metal.

All time seemed to stop, Cloud could hear his own heavy breathing over the roar and hissing of the engines. Flipping over once, Cloud let out a cry as his sword sent out a wave of blue energy and flames towards the airship.

The people on the balcony of the airship ran for cover, and the ship even tried to turn sharply to dodge the fatal blow, but it was not enough. It had manage to come in contact with the lower half of the airship where most likely the machines were and disabled them to a degree where they could not get to their destination in one flight.

Inside the interior of the ship, alarms were sounded, red lights blinded the scientists who were located in the lower half of the airship where a crude laboratory was built. In the room were machines vital into keeping their specimen alive. Their specimen laid upon the bed made for her, her body grey from deterioration, her eyes dimly lit, her neck was red and swollen from the intense stitching they had done, and her limbs limp. Jenova was alive again, but barely and the scientists were keen in keeping her in that state.

When Cloud's attack struck the ship, all nine scientists threw themselves over their experiment in order to kept from anything, dust, debris, or the attack itself from hitting Jenova. The body itself started to jerk and the hands began to claw at the bed beneath it. Suddenly, as the nine scientists back off to watch the scene before them, Jenova let out a pained howl, arching her back as far as she could and collapsed upon the bed. The heart monitor flat-lined.

The doctors bowed their heads in shame. They had failed after six months of intense experimentation on this creature, they had lost their only resource of existence from another planet.

Dr. Matachi let out a depressed sigh before approaching the bed to remove the IV from Jenova's left arm. Once he had relieved the dead specimen of the IV, the creature lunged at him, shoving her whole hand deep into his chest. Dr. Matachi let out a raspy gasp and dropped the IV as the other doctors rushed to him, and held the hand in his chest stationary, knowing that if the creature ripped it out, Matachi would certainly die. As the doctors surrounded their comrade, yelling for assistance, Matachi's eyes rolled back just as Jenova let a wicked smile pass her lips as she fell back on the bed dead, her left hand still embedded in the doctor's chest.

Outside, Cloud stood on the roof of the building, watching the airship wheel about changing direction. He counted seconds, hoping, praying that the airship with the cursed alien inside its hull would crash. When the airship gave no sign of it crashing, Cloud gritted his teeth and tightened his hold on his sword.

"Damn!" he swore, ready to launch another attack on the ship when the rapid sound of gunfire could be heard.

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted from below and Cloud rushed to the edge of the building before leaping off, flipping twice before landing right beside Tifa. Cid had obtained his Javalin, and Yuffie had the Conformer poised for an attack, Vincent had his gun raised and aimed at the soldier nearest to him, and Barret was preparing to launch an energy ball toward the ten soldiers in front of him.

All around them were soldiers and there was no escape. Suddenly, the rushing sound of a familiar engine caused everyone to look above them and sure enough, the _Shera _had come and hovered low enough to open the ramp, allowing the comrades to jump into the hull. Once Yuffie managed to get onto the ramp, the ramp hissed as it began to close, securing them from the gunfire that was going on outside.

The shinobi collapsed to the metal floor from all the adrenaline she had released in the past ten minutes. Tifa wrenched her hands to keep them from shaking. Cid's right hand was shaking as he was trying to light his cigarette. Vincent tapped his clawed thumb with his clawed index finger. Barret grunted as his gun-arm transformed back into a metallic hand. And Cloud had his head down, panting heavily in frustration.

He finally broke the silence by a soft growl, turning his back to his friends and threw down his huge sword which reverberated a loud clang. Their plan had failed and now they were back to square one and it was partially his fault because he did not think it through, he did not take it slow like he should have. He had put his friends in danger; someone could have been killed because of his foolhardiness.

"Cloud," Tifa's soft voice broke through his thoughts. "It's not over yet."

Running his gloved hand through his hair, Cloud let out a gust of air as he turned to face his friends again. "I'm sorry," he murmured to his comrades before turning on his heel and leaving his comrades on the ramp.

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**(A/N) **I know, I know, no fluff, but hey, lots of action. Gotta love action right? –cowers behind couch- I am so so so so sorry that I have taken forever and a day to update guys but I have until the last two weeks in August to have my fun on YT and fanfiction, so who knows? I'll see ya'll around. Have an awesome summer peoples! MWAH!


	16. Chapter 16

Hello, my loverly readers and happy 2011! I hope this year to have more chapters out for this story and End of All Things, but please don't expect an update every week. My college restricts its students from using fanfiction and youtube therefore preventing me from updating. Also, I work graveyard shift and I'm doing 16 credits which require most of my brainpower, but I hope to update more on this story this year. Once again, thank ya'll so much for the reviews and the advice you have given me and I hope you will enjoy this segment of Remnant's Love. I will admit I got a little lazy in the second half because I return to my college tomorrow, and I didn't have time after spending so much of my vacation with my family but I'll be back by mid-May. God bless you guys! Enjoy._

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A Remnant's Study

The water was freezing, but yet refreshing to Yazoo as he cupped his hands under the water's surface. Swiftly, he splashed the water upon his chest and shuddered at the feel of the droplets running down his skin to be reunited with the water's surface. Tilting his head back, Yazoo took in the night sky and his mind began to wander.

Dawn was approaching he noticed as he absentmindedly rubbed his wet hand over his shoulders. The Nibelhiem Reactor which once housed Mother and lied roughly a hundred feet to Yazoo's right. The trio had arrived at the reactor the previous day and Kadaj had still not given them the order to move out to their next destination. Apparently, Kadaj stated that he could sense Mother's presence and that it was very strong which was why the three brothers were still lingering up in the godforsaken mountains.

Splashing the freezing water to his face, Yazoo felt his senses more alert and began his retreat to the water's edge where his clothes waited for him. The air assaulted his bare skin, but Yazoo's body paid no mind to it.

As the slight breeze began to dry the moisture from his skin, Yazoo tilted his head, gathering his damp hair a hard twist, releasing the water in his silver locks. Droplets of water splashed upon the earth which greedily drank the precious liquid. Yazoo closed his eyes as he gave his hair a harder twist, his scalp slightly burned from the harsh treatment. The last drops of water were released and the earth beneath him was more than satisfied.

Satisfied with the present condition of his hair, Yazoo walked over to his discarded crumpled heap of leather clothing. He swiftly pulled on his pants but lingered in putting on his leather jacket. Carrying the leather material in his arms, Yazoo walked over to the tree trunk near the shoreline and sat upon it, his mind still distant.

As time dragged on, Yazoo remembered something Yuffie had said to him when he had carried her back to the shack on that fateful day.

"_Why is it that Kadaj and Loz...um, not zip up their jackets all the way...and you...do? I mean, you're not that bad looking." _

The red tinting of her cheeks suited her, Yazoo remembered with a small smile etched across his features. His friend, his dear friend, had sent another message to his phone, informing him of the new situation of her new temporary housing. She was no longer residing in Junon, but in a small town several miles to the south of Junon that her group managed to come across and was staying there for a week or two.

Yazoo had played with the thought of visiting her, but the distance was too great for now. Instead, he would wait patiently until he would see the young woman who had not only stolen his first kiss, but also these feelings he had thought he would never use or need. For the first time, Yazoo felt friendship and not just with brothers but with a complete stranger who was human. This bond he shared with Yuffie was different from the bond he shared with his brothers, but Yazoo could not understand or what this special bond was called. He felt more than what Loz would call a likeness toward the young ninja.

A slight rustle amongst the small shrubbery not far from Yazoo's right alerted the gunslinger that he was no longer alone. On instinct, his left hand fingered Velvet Nightmare gingerly which was fortunately propped against the trunk Yazoo was sitting on. But before acting out of haste, Yazoo sniffed the air, breathing in the scent of the new arrival. The breeze was in his favor for it alerted Yazoo of a familiar scent, a scent he knew all too well.

"Yes, Loz?" Yazoo called out in a bored manner.

The said man grunted in frustration as he stumbled out of the brush, muttering a few curses directed to the offended shrubbery as they snagged his ankle causing him to trip and stumble over his sure footing. Once he was out in the opening, Loz finally acknowledged Yazoo in a serious tone he had rarely shown to anyone.

"Kadaj is back."

Such a simple statement should not ever send chills down Yazoo's spine, but this three worded sentence did. There was an underlying meaning in that statement. Kadaj was not in a pleasant mood. The two brothers would have to be cautious with their words tonight.

"Yazoo, be careful," Loz forewarned. "He's been asking odd questions; questions that concern you."

"My words will be unspoken tonight," Yazoo assured Loz, slipping on his leather jacket which stuck to his skin unpleasantly and zipped the material to the underside of his chin. "Do you think Mother's given him answers tonight?"

"I hope so," Loz sighed sorrowfully, rubbing the back of his head. "This current mood of his is troubling me."

"Do you think _she's_ the cause of it?"

Loz was taken aback by that question, stopping his current motion of running his fingers through his thick hair and looking over at his younger brother with confusion written upon his face. When he saw Yazoo's solemn expression mirroring back at the oldest of the three, Loz let out a heavy sigh.

"Yes," he answered truthfully. "Ever since your ninja escaped, Kadaj has been prone to violence more than ever."

Yazoo let his mind reminisce on that fateful day when he brought Yuffie to the shack back at the wilderness past North Corel. At first glance, Yazoo thought Kadaj was enraged with him for his involvement of Yuffie's escape and suspicious of his loyalties. But at another glance, Kadaj was determined for the ninja thief's blood and was more obsessed with Yuffie than any of his other victims besides Niyuki, the girl Yazoo drew close to like an older sibling to a younger one. Kadaj did liked getting what he wanted and if he wanted Yuffie like he wanted Niyuki, he would do whatever it took to claim her as his prize. The gunslinger's left index finger involuntarily twitched, longing for Velvet Nightmare.

Loz noticed this. "Yazoo?" he called out to the said gunslinger, pulling him back to the present.

Lugubriously, Yazoo connected his Mako eyes to his older brother's own unique eyes. When Loz reacted by the tilting of his head in confusion mingled in his expression, Yazoo assured Loz once more with a small smirk.

"As I said before do not worry, Loz," Yazoo said before walking past his older brother in the direction of the temporal camping site as he strapped Velvet Nightmare in its proper place.

His words still did not comfort Loz. Yazoo may be unspoken, but that did not mean Kadaj would hold the same promise.

Kadaj sat alone upon a small boulder that was in the midst of their makeshift camp. He had just sent Loz off to retrieve Yazoo from the nearby lake. The mere thought of the gunslinger made Kadaj's blood boil in anger. Yazoo's indifferent behavior changed ever since the shinobi's arrival to the abandoned shack, and Kadaj did not like this newfound conduct of his older brother. But that was not all, there was the situation of the escaped ninja. How he wanted her to break beneath him. How he wanted to feel her last breath upon his face as her life slipped away beneath his cold fingers.

His enjoyment of replaying his morbid fantasies was disrupted by the rustling sounds coming from the woods. Kadaj turned to the sound of the disturbance to find only Loz and Yazoo entering the campsite. Annoyed by them interrupting his pleasant thoughts, Kadaj jumped off the boulder fluidly as he gritted his teeth. It was time to inform them of the new situation at hand. Mother had spoke to him through his meditation at the Nibelhiem Reactor and Kadaj had to inform them this night for the morrow they would have to leave this place. The youngest of the three straightened himself while thinking these things, turning fully to his brothers but before he spoke, he locked his gaze with Yazoo. The gunslinger returned the gaze as if daring the youngest to do better than a mere glare for it will not affect him this night. Kadaj tasted metallic bitterness in his mouth and realized that he had bit the inside of his cheek too hard, but he paid no mind to it.

"We're going to Junon."

Such simple words made Yazoo's heart beat at a faster pace and felt as though it would soon leap out his chest. The gunslinger had to use all of his strength to merely respond to the statement with a slight tilt of his head, his face masked with confusion instead of a simper. Junon was the name of the city Yuffie and her friends had just left and were residing near that very city. If Kadaj's plan was put into immediate action, Yazoo was sure he could see Yuffie once again without raising much suspicion from Kadaj. Loz seemed to have read the gunslinger's thoughts for he had a smug expression upon his face, which in turn caused Kadaj to round upon him.

"Something on your mind, Loz?" Kadaj questioned in a dangerous tone that made the very few crows in the area flee from the wrath that was brewing beneath them.

Loz's eyes were half lidded when he answered. "Company's good at Junon," he lied smoothly to avert the suspicion that was upon the oldest remnant.

Kadaj's vicious glare suddenly transformed into a leering expression. "That is true," he agreed.

"Did _Kaasan _tell you what happened in Junon?" Yazoo innocently asked, genuinely curious of the reason for suddenly going to the new place.

Kadaj's smug smirk diminished into a fierce glare as he shifted his gaze to Yazoo.

"We have a new brother."

0o0o0o0

Matachi awoke with a choked gasp, immediately sitting upright in his bed and clutching his heart. Pain deep within his chest throbbed with each breath, making it difficult for Matachi to breathe. As he continued to calm the pain by breathing more slowly, Matachi gathered his surroundings. He was in his assigned room aboard the airship that much he gathered from his laptop case resting peacefully on a chair opposite from his bed. Attached to the zipper of the case was his identification card. It was reassuring to be in his room, but the doctor was left in confusion on how he became inside his room in the first place.

Memories began to stream into his head, causing it to ache sharply. Matachi remembered pulling IV tube out of Jenova then he felt something plunged deep into his chest; Jenova's hand. When his thoughts lingered to that specific memory, Matachi gingerly touched the area where the hand penetrated his chest. Underneath his wrinkled, white buttoned-down shirt, his fingers detected stitches, many of them. The trail of stitches ran down his entire sternum and it made Marachi wondered how long ago did the incident with Jenova occurred.

Suddenly remembering the presence of his cell phone on the nightstand next to him, Matachi snatched it up and pounded the power button with his shaking thumb. He waited impatiently as his pone powered up, playing a few notes of a tune that was associated with the brand's company. He unconsciously held his breath just as his pone greeted him with a default wallpaper and the time flared back at him with a piercing white gaze. Matachi's heart felt as though someone yanked it downward when the date appeared in the right top corner.

"Four days?" he questioned himself aloud in disbelief, his voice cracking from the lack of use in the past ninety-six hours.

A sharp pain abruptly racked through his brain, causing the doctor to screw his eyes shut from the intense pain. Bringing his right hand to his forehead and rubbing it furiously, Matachi carelessly tossed his cell phone upon the nightstand once again. His temple ached and pulsed from the rhythmic pounding inside his head and the deep massage he was granting the ache was not satisfying it.

Deciding to cleanse his face of the dried sweat and grime off, Matachi slowly and gently rose from his cot, swaying some to maintain his balance for his body had not been used in four days. His feet dragged from lack of use over the steel flooring as he approached the small vanity across from his cot.

Once he had made to his prime destination, a soft sigh escaped from his chapped lips as his shaking hands grasped the handle of the ceramic pitcher which held the lukewarm water. With more effort he usually gave, Matachi grunted slightly as he lifted the pitcher and tilted to its side to reveal to him the crystal clear water which fled to the sanctuary of the matching ceramic bowl. Matachi plunged his hands deep into the bowl, cupping them into a smaller bowl to drench the thirst the skin of his face craved for. He pressed his palms hard against his eye sockets as if to push the pain that was settling inside his head out.

When that method did not succeed, Matachi lowered his hands with a sigh. The pain in his head was nagging and would not subside. Matachi glanced back up at his reflection, seeing the stubble he was growing; his hair unkempt. Something caught the corner of his eye and Matachi shifted his gaze to the right only to see the experiment that had died on the table four days ago. The same experiment that had drove her hand deep into his chest. The experiment that haunted his dreams in his coma state. Jenova was standing behind him with her left eye glowing red.

His heart jumped and tightened with fear. In an instant, he whirled around and backed against the vanity to face this monster. A frontal attack would be least damaging than a back attack. But what Matachi expected to happened, never occurred. His experiment was not there. Clutching his rapidly beating heart, Matachi began to take in slow deep breathes, breathing reassurances that the hallucination was because of what has been happening to him in the past for days.

Matachi closed his eyes in relief and turned around to face the mirror once again and locked eyes with his reflection. Blue eyes met his, pupils were normal considering the bad lighting in the room. Everything in his eyes appeared fine. His brain was most likely was still waking up from his four day rest. Everything was fine, he tried to convinced himself as he noticed slight changes appearing in his eyes. Green, his eyes were turning green. His pupils were thinning, turning into thin slits.

"No!" Matachi cried out, clamping his eyes shut to rid himself of the living nightmare. Reluctantly, the doctor opened his eyes and again he saw those eyes again. They were really there. A split second later, a searing, burning pain erupted through his skull and remained there, not wanting to leave. A voice was there, distant but it was still there, whispering to Matachi. Gasping for air, Matachi struggled to stand upon his now sudden weak legs, his hands were shaking, and his stomach was burning.

Finally giving up, Matachi crumpled to the floor, his stomach clenched and tightened. Matachi weakly looked up to see Jenova standing before him, her red gaze piercing through his very soul. He ducked his head and retched and collapsed on the floor. Before his mind completely shut out everything, he heard the next words that echoed in his mind.

_Welcome to my Reunion._

0o0o0o0

The afternoon sun slightly warmed the earth before in the cold climate of Nibelheim. Residents of the small town were shut inside, warming themselves with artificial heat provided for them in times like this. The three travelers clad in black leather finally emerged from the wet rock labyrinth which led up to the old abandoned Mako Reactor. Kadaj was wiping Souba clean from her recent kill, Loz was inserting another Materia into his Dual Hound, and Yazoo was easing Velvet Nightmare back into the holster behind his back.

Once they had reached the clearing, Kadaj glanced at the small village below the clearing the three brothers were currently standing on. A smirk etched upon his lips as his thoughts wandered toward the villagers and what he would like to do with the humans. Before descending down the path leading into the small village, Loz chose that moment to speak.

"Kadaj? Look over there."

As he turned to retort Loz's comment, he noticed what Loz was referring to. It was a large building, closed off with a fence to keep others out. The building itself was rundown and in some areas of the structure threatened to collapse. At first glance, Kadaj did not want anything to do with the building Loz had pointed out, but it would be more convenient for them to rest at the building since it was far from the village and out from prying eyes. Besides, the villagers were not likely to forget Kadaj's last visit to the town so soon. Still…

"You and Yazoo investigate, I'll join you later," Kadaj ordered, continuing his descent to the town.

Yazoo had to look away to keep himself from making a comeback for Kadaj's last remark. Once again, Kadaj's bloodlust was boiling and if anyone tried to come between that lust, only more blood would be spilt. The only thing the gunslinger could do was pray that his brother's lust for blood was not much, sacrificing the few to save the many. All Yazoo could do was follow Loz down the path leading to the mansion. The gunslinger joined Loz at the gate who was looking down at the lock that was blocking their access to the building. Loz sighed as he picked up the lock and narrowed his eyes at the offending lock.

"Why would this building be locked?" Loz wondered aloud as he ripped the lock and chain of the gate.

"Perhaps it was for safety reasons for the children," Yazoo answered with a shrug, pushing the gate open and walking through the threshold. "It seems suitable for temporary habitation. I would not recommend staying longer than a day."

Loz nodded his head in agreement, following Yazoo's example. "We should leave before sunrise to avoid unwanted attention."

"My thoughts exactly," Yazoo replied, opening the main door leading into the building.

The building's interior was in worse condition than the exterior walls of the building. Skittering noises were heard in the dark corners of the foyer as well as rustling noises of the house settling. Yazoo let his left hand linger behind his back for a quick draw to counter sudden ambushes. Loz had already charged up his Dual Hound, holding out his left arm in full length to aid Yazoo in sudden attacks. The two brothers were not in the building for more than two minutes when they were waylaid by three large winged creatures. Their wings expanded as they lowered down from the balcony into range. Each creature had one large eye in the center of their bodies gleaming at the new prey they had discovered. Prey they had not expected to be prepared for their ambush.

His fingers gripped the short handle of his gunblade and with ease Yazoo unsheathed Velvet Nightmare and fired a rain of bullets upon the creatures, all screeching from each hit they received. Defeated and seriously wounded, the one-eyed creatures let out soft screeches as they fell upon the floor. But the worst was yet to come as Loz ended their misery by unleashing a devastating electrocution from his Dual Hound. Electricity crackled and the creatures succumbed to the call of death with their last screech emitting from their mouths.

The gunslinger let out a bored sigh as he eased Velvet Nightmare back into the holster. Loz charged his Dual Hound for a preemptive strike if they encountered another battle. Up the stairs they went and entered the right wing. Loz decided to check the two bedrooms in the wing while Yazoo wandered into a small sitting area where a bookcase was standing against a wall. Before the bookcase was a mottled area rug and two chairs were harbored around it. With a curious gaze, the silver-haired gunslinger approached the bookcase.

"An odd place for a lounge," Yazoo noted as he looked over the titles of the books in front of him. Out of all the titles in the bookcase, one was out of place and that intrigued Yazoo. He reached out and tried to pull out the odd book but found that the bookcase would not let it go. There was a loud click and a sound of mechanical wheels turning as the bookcase itself began to move aside on its own. A secret passageway was uncovered.

"Loz," Yazoo called out to the attention of his older brother who in turn was trying to lock the door with difficult to a bedroom which was filled with ravenous monsters lusting for Loz's blood. With a grunt, Loz acknowledged his brother as he managed to slam the door shut. Yazoo let a small simper escape from his stiff composure.

"It's not funny, Yazoo," Loz bitterly remarked, walking up to the gunslinger. "Another passage that was hidden. What could be important to keep locked away and hidden from others?"

"Mother."

The gunslinger was surprised at his own words, but it made sense. Without another word, Yazoo descended the old circular staircase with Loz following. After exploring the contents of the new passage, the two brothers came across a small crude laboratory which contained only bare essentials needed for experiments. It bore little interests of the two and they continued further into the mysterious passage that led to a dead end. The only offer they were granted was access to another room.

It was rare for Yazoo or Loz to experience something that was apart of his brother's past life. But upon entering the premises of that room, Yazoo felt something twisting his heart and faint images ran through his inner eye of memories. The gunslinger realized what room they were in: the room where Sephiroth discovered the truth, the secret library.

"Yazoo?" Loz called to his younger brother in a quiet tone.

"I know," Yazoo replied, knowing that Loz had experienced the same images he did. Without another word, the gunslinger entered the premise of the secret library and began to browse. Loz entered after Yazoo with caution, alert if anything should happen to ambush them. Yazoo noticed that the books themselves were either historical, scientific theories, or legends and they were organized by region.

Pretending to be passing the books with an uninterested glance, Yazoo was curiously searching for a certain region. Loz had not taken notice and was browsing in another area of the room before becoming bored and informing Yazoo he was going to find a room that was not monster infested for them to sleep for the night. This left Yazoo the opportunity to search more thoroughly for a certain topic. Not ten minutes after Loz had left Yazoo found it; a book concerning the region of Wutai.

Yazoo pulled the thick book out and blew off the cobwebs before leafing through the pages. It contained legends and myths the Wutains believed, the historical context of the region concerning the royal linage, and the language of the country. A smirk was upon his lips as the gunslinger settled himself in the nearby old chair to read the book. Nothing could pull him away from the book that captured his interest. Hours ticked by unnoticed by the gunslinger as he continued to secretly study in the night, learning more about his dear friend's culture.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Taking Chances**_

As the sun rose over the towering mountains, a figure emerged from one of the small buildings of the small town of Nibelheim. The young man's leather outfit was soaked in blood, the dark liquid shined as it caught the sun's morning rays. A smug expression was fixed upon his face as he raked his bloody gloved hand through his silver hair, leaving smears of blood along his jaw line and throughout strands of his hair. Kadaj took in a deep breath, remembering the events last night that concerned him on a bloodlust. Bodies littered the ground around him and some suffered worse fate in their homes.

The sun had cleared over the mountains revealing the horror he had unleashed on the small town. Dirt was darkened by the consuming of the blood, and bodies strewn over the foundation and decorated the landmark that towered over the town with broken pride now was lost. No one was spared from Kadaj's lust for blood.

With an amused noise emitting from his throat, Kadaj made his way back to the abandoned ShinRa Mansion. He and his brothers had to leave Nibelheim and search for Jenova and Matachi. With Matachi infected by Jenova cells, Kadaj could almost sense Matachi and if he was near Jenova that effect triples. However, their location Kadaj could never sense well enough. But Kadaj could feel a connection between Matachi and Jenova and so the next destination lies in the direction of Junon.

Kadaj approached the old building with the sinister smirk still upon his face, his eyes still dark with the need of power. The young remnant entered soundlessly through the main doors and was on his way up the stairs to find his brothers when something stopped him. Images raced through his mind, ones he never seen before. ShinRa soldiers securing this mansion, a secret passage, a library, and a man with spiky black hair were some of the strange images. Once the images ceased, Kadaj narrowed his eyes towards the landing just above him. Something up there was important to Sephiroth and Kadaj was determined to locate it.

Within seconds, he located the secret passage partially due to the fact the secret passage was still wide open from Loz and Yazoo's first expedition. Feeling the presence of Sephiroth, Kadaj made his way down the rickety spiral staircase, following the presence.

A door was ajar down the hall caught Kadaj's attention. The young remnant entered the room and breathed in deeply, smelling the old musty books of the library. Feeling his presence, Kadaj felt fulfilled, yet empty and unsatisfied. He felt approved of and disappointed in. He felt envious. Upon enduring this moment, Kadaj caught out of the corner of his eye, a flash of silver and black. Immediately, Kadaj turned his head and his Mako eyes narrowed upon the sleeping gunslinger upon the chair. Resting with Yazoo's lean chest was a thick hardback book, more specifically a book centering on the culture of Wutai; the very culture of the pixie.

Rage boiled within Kadaj as he approached the unsuspecting remnant with malice across his features. Kadaj raised his hand and delivered a harsh blow on Yazoo's left cheek. The blow immediately woke Yazoo abruptly, his eyes wide with the sudden attack inflicted upon him. The book fell to the floor with a loud thud. Kadaj calmly picked the book up and casually begin to look through the pages.

"Interesting literature, brother," Kadaj noted, turning a page. "Wutai? How curious."

"Kadaj-"

Kadaj threw the book at him literally. Yazoo flinched slightly from the impact, but immediately rose to his feet to better his chance to defend himself, but Kadaj made no move to produce another attack. Instead, Kadaj allowed a smirk upon his lips and tilted his head back.

"A book concentrated on the very culture of our little pixie lives by," Kadaj stated. He closed the gap between them and then straightened his stature to whisper in the gunslinger's ear. "Care to share what you've learned, brother?" Kadaj whispered.

Yazoo's mother felt dry and quickly swallowed before trying to answer. "Kadaj, I-"

He was not given the time to even think of finishing his excuse. Kadaj had struck him across the face again, this time knocking Yazoo to the ground. Before Yazoo recovered from the surprised attack, Kadaj enclosed his left hand around his brother's neck and straddled him, keeping Yazoo pinned down.

Yazoo struggled to breathe as he looked up at Kadaj's menacing glare. Kadaj lowered his face to Yazoo's, still cutting off his brother's air supply and hissed bitterly in the gunslinger's ear.

"I know you let our little pixie escape."

Though his words were soft spoken, Yazoo felt as if those words had pierced his heart. The gunslinger only gulped in air and gritted his teeth as he continued to struggle to breathe. Kadaj chuckled sinisterly as he pulled his head away.

"You thought I wouldn't figure it out?" he demanded, his eyes glowering down at Yazoo. "You let her go, an _enemy_ of Mother, so that she could rejoin Big Brother's group and strengthen their numbers?" His grip tightened. "I should kill you for your betrayal, brother. But as I've said before, we're all needed this time and Mother wouldn't approve." Kadaj squeezed tighter, Yazoo gagged on his tongue and choked on two short breaths. "But that doesn't mean I can't punish you."

0o0o0o0

Yuffie hummed to herself as she arranged the Materia on her bed in a particular order. First it was by category, Command, Independent, Magic, Summons, and finally Support in their certain spots on the small unmade bed. Then she had to further sort the Materia, separating the Mastered ones from the low leveled ones. She was finally satisfied when she further sorted the materia based on color. Hours had flown by Yuffie, but it was no matter to her for she had properly sorted her treasured Materia.

Yuffie did notice the time when the sun was resting upon the horizon and chewed her lip. She did send a message to Yazoo and knew it would take time for him to come, if he wanted to come. Yuffie pulled off her jacket and headband as she processed this dilemma further. This man she was secretly seeing was an enemy of theirs, trying to find Jenova to destroy this world. But his want for destruction was missing where it should be. His wish for a soul and a life was there where with Kadaj was missing. The gunslinger was different and his presence was soothing, not normal with the usual lust for the world's end. Still, what the two of them were trying to pull off was dangerous. Yuffie could only hope and pray that Kadaj will never find out their secret meetings.

A series of knocks interrupted Yuffie's thoughts and even made the ninja jump a little. She acknowledged the knocker with a brusque response which was unusual for the chipper thief.

"Yeah, what?"

There was a pause on the other side of the door but then Tifa's voice spoke up. "Are you okay?" asked the concerned bartender. "We haven't seen you all day."

"I'm a little busy, what do you need?" Yuffie asked with a sigh.

"Cloud found someone who might know where the scientists took Jenova," Tifa answered, her voice a little softer in case others were nearby. "We need to go see him."

Yuffie sighed inwardly. She wanted to be alone at the moment, not go through the small village to follow rumors. The ninja looked longingly at the Materia on her bed and sighed again. All that time organizing them wasted. Yuffie quickly grabbed her knapsack and swept the Materia she loved into the bag, save a few Magic, Support, and Independent Materia. She concealed the bag in a small cubbyhole she custom made, once they got their rooms. A couple of loose floorboards were Yuffie's specialty.

The shinobi geared up with her battle gear and strapped Conformer to her back after inserting the Magic Materia into it and checked her status quickly after adding the Support and Independent Materia. She was good to go and begrudgingly she went to the door and opened it to find a waiting Tifa.

The Avalanche group may have stuck out like a sore thumb, but no one paid any mind to them as they walked through the village, trying to locate the house that Cloud managed to hear that a recently retired scientist who worked at Junon was living in. It took some time, but the group managed to find the house. Unfortunately, when Cloud knocked on the door, he was greeted with a saying that seems to be a Junon area greeting.

"Dammit, go screw yourselves!" the voice yelled. "I know my f-ing rights and I can experiment if I want to!"

"Sir, we're not here about that," Tifa assured the voice.

"I'm not buying your goddamn cookies either!"

"Oh, f- this," Cid muttered, pushing Tifa and Cloud aside and stood in front of the door. It was a second later and after a yell and splintering of wood, Avalanche managed to get inside of the house of a very angry scientist.

"What the hell!" yelled the owner of the now splintered door, emerging from the back room wearing huge goggles, a lab coat, and clunky boots. His light brown hair seemed to be growing in one direction; up. "Get out! Get out before I unleashed some of my experiments on you all!"

"Shuddap!" Cid ordered, pushing the scientist down into a nearby chair and held his Javelin at the man's chin. "Screw your goddamn rights and tell us, do you know where the scientists of Junon would take Jenova after an emergency procedure?"

"Project Jenova?" the retired scientist asked in a breathless whisper.

"No," Barret gruffly replied. "Your mother. We know you used to work with those damn researchers until a few weeks ago. Where would they take Jenova?"

The scientist chuckled and took off his goggles to reveal his Mako enhanced green eyes. The sight of those haunting eyes reminded Avalanche of the General Sephiroth and some shuddered inwardly.

"You were injected with Jenova cells?" Vincent clarified in a clipped, gruff voice.

The scientist turned to the ex-Turk. "Why, yes I was Mr. Valentine," he answered with a smirk, relishing the state of confusion the group before him was experiencing. "Don't be so surprised, Mr. Valentine. You are quite a legend at the labs. Hojo's greatest failed experiment. Well, not so failed after all."

Within a moment and a growl, Vincent rushed up to the man, Cerberus drawn and jammed the barrel into his left temple. Where other men at his position would beg for mercy, the scientist laughed heartily.

"A touchy subject for you, eh, Valentine?" the crazed scientist asked lightheartedly. "Shoot me if you must, but if I die, so does the information."

"Then give it to us," Cloud ordered.

The man casually looked over at Cloud who was standing to his right at the time. "Ah, but not without a price, Cloud Strife. You too were a favorite of Hojo's experimentation. I wonder how you could have survived, but that's not the issue at hand. You want information, and I need something of great value to me. Find it, and I shall give you the information you seek."

"Why should we trust you?" Yuffie demanded. "And how do we know you have the right information? You would probably screw us over."

The scientist glowered at the young shinobi. "Maybe your doubt is placed well, but I was tossed out of the program because of my backdoor experiments and for being a failed experiment myself! They injected me with Jenova cells, but I did not respond well to them like it did before two years ago. Three subjects managed to show excellent progress, but Sephiroth took them and our other clones and after the explosion of the Northern Cave all were wiped out. Our greatest chance of understanding that damn alien ruined!"

"What?" Yuffie asked, confused and her heart clenched when she heard of those three subjects.

"Now, enough of chatter!" the crazed man proclaimed, his Mako eyes glinting. "You want the information, and I want my creature for a new experiment."

"I'll pretend we care and ask what creature and where do we find the damn thing," Cid grumbled, still holding Javalin to the man's throat.

"Well, it's not that easy, friend, or otherwise I would have caught the creature myself," the scientist answered smoothly.

"Enlighten us," Vincent ordered in a low tone that sounded threatening but it did not even made the man blink.

"Oh, well, if you insist," the crazed scientist replied with a smirk and knitted his hands together and placed them on his lap as he cleared his throat. "In the wastelands near the area of Junon and Fort Condor, there is a creature that tends to hunt in that area simply known as Hell Rider VR2."

At the very sound of its name, Cid groaned softly. Tifa and Yuffie looked at each other and shrugged. Cat Sith scratched its head. Nanaki bowed his head sadly, recognizing the name. Cloud finally broke the silence and asked the crazed scientist what exactly is Hell Rider VR2. However, Cid answered before the scientist could explain.

"It's an f-ing fairy tale!" the pilot yelled with annoyance. "You know how rare it is to spot one of those damn things? It's impossible those things to still exist! Everyone hunted them down those creatures until extinction!"

"You, my dear pilot, are incorrect about the legend," the scientist corrected Cid with another devious smirk upon his thin lips. "You're talking about the beast and rider Hell's Rider which _is_ a fairy tale. I'm talking about a little experiment that got loose from Hojo's Laboratory several years ago. Thus it's name Hell Rider VR2. Hojo was trying an alternate use of cavalry and it backfired. The damn beast and the rider escaped and have been residing near here for years. I don't care about the rider, I just want the animal for…personal interest. That is my price in exchange for information."

"Do you have any ideas on how to catch the damn thing?" Barret grumbled, folding his arms upon his chest.

"I do," Nanaki spoke up, causing everyone to look at the talking animal. The scientist let out an insane laugh.

"Oh, Red XIII," the scientist chuckled. "I can't believe I didn't notice you sooner. Your kind is all but extinct now. But no matter. So, Red, how do you suppose to catch the beast?"

"My name is Nanaki," the creature growled and snapped his jaw at the insulting man. "And I remembered Hell Rider VR2 and I know why he and his rider are rarely seen. He never liked the harshness of the light which is why he preferred the coolness of the night and a soft mist in the air."

"So he is out and about only in those conditions?" Yuffie questioned, verifying Nanaki's statement.

"Correct."

"Great, f-ing terrific!" Cid shouted, pulling back from the chair and strapped Javalin to his back once again. "And does anyone have any bright ideas as in _when_ it's going to be _misting_ in the middle of the night?"

"Tomorrow," Vincent softly stated, his head was slightly bowed and his clawed hand to his forehead as if trying to stop a migraine. "Galian has smelled the subtle change of the weather and he assures me that tomorrow night it will be misting."

Cloud nodded at Vincent and looked down at the scientist. "We will catch your Hell Rider," the blond warrior declared.

The scientist cackled in response. "Well, let's hope you deliver!"

0o0o0o0

Wind was whipping harshly at his face, causing his long hair to dance with it, sometimes caressing his face as he silently watched the sun rise from the horizon the three brother's were steering for in the airship they managed to hijack from Rocket Town. It did not take long considering Kadaj went on another rampage and slaughtered everyone on the crew save the pilot and forced him to fly the three silver haired men towards Junon where Kadaj sensed Matachi and Mother were a few days ago and hope to find more clues once they reached Junon. This made Yazoo nervous.

He knew Yuffie had evacuated Junon with her friends, but fear was still gnawing in his heart since Kadaj figured out the details of the shinobi's escape. How long would it take for Kadaj to find out the secret meetings and the messages sent to his phone? While thinking upon this, Yazoo absentmindedly touched the welt under his eye and lingered his fingers down to his throat were bruises had formed, reminding him of the hands that used to be there. A sharp pain was suddenly in his right side and he winced slightly. A short rib was slightly fractured originally before Loz gave him a Cure1 since Kadaj refused to let Loz use a more mastered materia. So the break was healed, but the pain was still there.

Yazoo chewed on his tongue as he leaned forward on the railing, taking in the sunrise. Everything was peacefully quiet and Yazoo breathed in deep and closed his eyes as his other senses took in the soft breeze and the smell of the sea salt air lingered, leaving a sharp aftertaste in the back of his tongue. If only more moments were available for someone like him. He wished he had another life, one where he could have a normal life like the humans do. He wanted a life like a human. He knew he was once like them and the fact that he could barely remember it frustrated him.

Suddenly, something vibrated in his left pocket made Yazoo withdraw from his deep thoughts. He blinked before reaching into his pocket and retrieving the vibrating device. He flipped the cell phone open and saw the notification of a text message from Yuffie. A small smirk etched upon the gunslinger's face as he opened the text message. She informed him that she was on a mission that requires a lot of waiting and she was bored.

Again, she ended the message with a strange symbol by her name by using the number three and the greater than symbol. This confused him but at the same time made him feel uplifted from some strange reason. He should definitely inquire about the symbol next time he saw her. If he could see her, he feared Kadaj was getting too suspicious, but he felt this need that could only be satisfied when he saw her. But was it worth putting himself and Yuffie in that much danger? Yazoo sighed sadly, bowing his head and bringing his right hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples. If he could sneak out in the middle of the night and return by sunrise that would work for him if Kadaj does not decide to check on him in the middle of the night or rise with the sun.

This decision was still plaguing the gunslinger as they landed near Junon. Far enough away from the actual city itself so that no one would notice the abandon airship for days. After Kadaj had the satisfaction of slaying the only survivor, the three brothers escorted their motorcycles out of the airship. It was rather troublesome to enter the city, be it there were guards at the gates and they were rightfully suspicious of three silver haired men wanting to know the whereabouts of the laboratory. However, with Yazoo's sharp tongue and a tribute from Loz, or more accurately his gil, the three were able to bride the guards to let them stay in Junon for a few days.

They located the inn fairly quickly and after several humans gazed at them as though they were animals on display, the innkeeper handed Kadaj the keys and informed the three silver haired men the directions to their room. It was a small room with three beds taking most of the space, but it was enough for them for they were not planning to stay very long. As Yazoo began to set out his things on the bed he claimed, he pondered on what he should do that night to either stay or sneak out.

"Something's happened recently," Kadaj's remark cut through the gunslinger's thoughts. "The people and the guards are on edge and suspicious of late."

Loz unzipped his jacket tossed it over the headboard of the bed he had claimed. "Do you think he was here?" he asked as he rolled his sore shoulder, gritting his teeth slightly at the pain. Yazoo walked over to his brother and motioned him to sit down. The gunslinger then proceeded to climb onto the bed behind Loz and began to rub his sore shoulder trying to ease the pain the teleporter was experiencing.

"That would be fortunate for us and yet unfortunate," Kadaj answered with a shrug. When two confused faces were directed toward him, the youngest remnant explained. "It would mean being closer to finding Brother, but would also mean that Mother was taken to a safer place. Somewhere of great distance for I can't sense her presence at this moment."

"But who should we ask?" Yazoo inquired, pretending to be focused only on Loz's hurt shoulder but his mind was filled with worry that someone might know where Yuffie and her friends had gone.

"We can always ask the scientists themselves," Kadaj suggested with a wicked grin upon his face. "After all, we were their experiments at one time."

This time, both Loz and Yazoo stopped what they were doing and focused all their attention on the youngest remnant. With a smirk, Kadaj continued.

"This was before we were reborn and ridded of the useless memories we had as humans," Kadaj said as he walked over to the fruit assortment on the dresser and selected a pear. "We were selected to be experimented on since we were merely orphans. We became clones of _him_ and he took us out of that hellhole. Out of the countless clones, we were chosen to be something more. We were chosen to be a part of the family and no longer just a number."

"Will we ever remember our past?" Yazoo couldn't help but ask that question. He needed to know that he was not a clone or a monster that he had some remnant of humanity within him.

But Kadaj's Mako eyes narrowed at the gunslinger with burning hatred. "And _why_ would you ever want to remember about being a mere human when we are close to being gods ourselves?" he demanded.

But Yazoo righted himself. "Just to question if such annoyance will pester us in the future," he answered with a shrug, hoping that remark saved him from even more suspicion from Kadaj.

For a moment, Kadaj had continued to glare at the gunslinger almost making him waver before answering bitterly. "We shouldn't have our 'past' memories and if we did they would soon be eradicated from us when we join with Mother."

Yazoo's heart sank at hearing this. Some memories he had experienced were pleasant and wanted to remember them. It reminded him that he did more than just killed in his life and not just a clone of Sephiroth. He had his own life that was taken from him when he was a small child.

"Come tomorrow, we should take a little tour around town," Kadaj said with a shrug, tossing the pear up into the air and catching it in a passive manner. "Preferably near the Junon Laboratory."

After that statement, Kadaj took a confident bite out of the pear before making a disgusted face and pitched the pear towards the unsuspecting window to the right of the bed. But before the pear could connect with the glass, Loz managed to intercept and catch the pear with a slight expression of annoyance.

"I'm not paying for the damages," Loz stated in a slight bitter tone.

Usually, Kadaj would lose his temper and get into a duel to near death, but this time he just simply shrugged his shoulders in his defense. He didn't feel like fighting…at the moment. "It was rotten" the youngest remnant explained his justification.

Loz was still not pleased, but said nothing else as he tossed the pear into the small garbage can next to the small nightstand. "I thought you wanted to be discreet," Loz added softly.

Kadaj folded his arms in defiance. "It still doesn't excuse poor service," Kadaj objected. "They deserve a broken window."

"That may be, but this isn't Nibelheim," Yazoo reminded Kadaj, and even though Kadaj was giving him a glare that could tear into a soul, the gunslinger continued with wavering confidence. "We cause a commotion here, not only will their army notice, but ShinRa and Big Brother will discover our location and without Mother, I doubt we can handle all of them."

"Fine," Kadaj snapped and went for the door. "I'm going out," he informed his brothers in a bitter, harsh tone. "Don't wait up."

The door slam resonated Kadaj's departure and the remaining two remnants sighed inwardly, knowing where Kadaj's journey would take him. All was quiet as Yazoo continued to rub Loz's shoulder.

"That's good enough, Yazoo," Loz told him, pulling away and rolling shoulder again to test it. "Thanks."

"Hmm."

"So when are you leaving?"

Yazoo blinked in confusion, thinking he heard wrong. "What?"

Loz turned to the gunslinger. "When are you leaving?" he questioned again with a childlike expression.

"I wasn't thinking of "

"Go."

Yazoo was dumfounded at Loz's order.

"Go to her," Loz insisted. "I'll take care of Kadaj, just be back by morning." When Yazoo didn't respond, Loz pushed him off the bed, making the gunslinger stumble before he regained his footing. "Go!"

Yazoo was hesitant at first but with another push from Loz, he finally left the room with a small smile on his face.

"Thank you," he said in a soft tone before closing the door.

**(A/N) **Wow, I have been a BAD, BAD, BAD fanfiction writer. Leaving my beloved readers for eons without an update? I am ashamed. Again, I am SO sorry for the LONG delay, I've been juggling college, boyfriend, gaming, video editing, and etc. That is still no excuse I know. Hopefully, if everything goes okay in the next 2 months I should be back with an update. And we'll get some YAZFIE! SQUEE! Again, thankies to all of you for being so patient. See you next time! -mwah!-


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